diff --git a/system/Router/RouteCollection.php b/system/Router/RouteCollection.php
index 9b68a3738785..8428ca7a303a 100644
--- a/system/Router/RouteCollection.php
+++ b/system/Router/RouteCollection.php
@@ -404,22 +404,21 @@ public function getPlaceholders(): array
 
     public function setDefaultNamespace(string $value): RouteCollectionInterface
     {
-        $this->defaultNamespace = esc(strip_tags($value));
-        $this->defaultNamespace = rtrim($this->defaultNamespace, '\\') . '\\';
+        $this->defaultNamespace = rtrim($value, '\\') . '\\';
 
         return $this;
     }
 
     public function setDefaultController(string $value): RouteCollectionInterface
     {
-        $this->defaultController = esc(strip_tags($value));
+        $this->defaultController = $value;
 
         return $this;
     }
 
     public function setDefaultMethod(string $value): RouteCollectionInterface
     {
-        $this->defaultMethod = esc(strip_tags($value));
+        $this->defaultMethod = $value;
 
         return $this;
     }
@@ -754,7 +753,7 @@ public function resource(string $name, ?array $options = null): RouteCollectionI
         // If a new controller is specified, then we replace the
         // $name value with the name of the new controller.
         if (isset($options['controller'])) {
-            $newName = ucfirst(esc(strip_tags($options['controller'])));
+            $newName = ucfirst($options['controller']);
         }
 
         // In order to allow customization of allowed id values
@@ -848,7 +847,7 @@ public function presenter(string $name, ?array $options = null): RouteCollection
         // If a new controller is specified, then we replace the
         // $name value with the name of the new controller.
         if (isset($options['controller'])) {
-            $newName = ucfirst(esc(strip_tags($options['controller'])));
+            $newName = ucfirst($options['controller']);
         }
 
         // In order to allow customization of allowed id values
diff --git a/tests/system/Router/RouteCollectionTest.php b/tests/system/Router/RouteCollectionTest.php
index 24ef9001f001..03cf7d2b48e6 100644
--- a/tests/system/Router/RouteCollectionTest.php
+++ b/tests/system/Router/RouteCollectionTest.php
@@ -272,6 +272,14 @@ public function testSetDefaultControllerStoresIt(): void
         $this->assertSame('godzilla', $routes->getDefaultController());
     }
 
+    public function testSetDefaultControllerPreservesSpecialCharacters(): void
+    {
+        $routes = $this->getCollector();
+        $routes->setDefaultController('Foo&Bar');
+
+        $this->assertSame('Foo&Bar', $routes->getDefaultController());
+    }
+
     public function testSetDefaultMethodStoresIt(): void
     {
         $routes = $this->getCollector();
@@ -280,6 +288,22 @@ public function testSetDefaultMethodStoresIt(): void
         $this->assertSame('biggerBox', $routes->getDefaultMethod());
     }
 
+    public function testSetDefaultMethodPreservesSpecialCharacters(): void
+    {
+        $routes = $this->getCollector();
+        $routes->setDefaultMethod('get&set');
+
+        $this->assertSame('get&set', $routes->getDefaultMethod());
+    }
+
+    public function testSetDefaultNamespacePreservesSpecialCharacters(): void
+    {
+        $routes = $this->getCollector();
+        $routes->setDefaultNamespace('App\Controllers&Services');
+
+        $this->assertSame('App\Controllers&Services\\', $routes->getDefaultNamespace());
+    }
+
     public function testTranslateURIDashesWorks(): void
     {
         $routes = $this->getCollector();
@@ -732,7 +756,7 @@ public function testResourcesWithCustomController(): void
         service('request')->setMethod(Method::GET);
         $routes = $this->getCollector();
 
-        $routes->resource('photos', ['controller' => '<script>gallery']);
+        $routes->resource('photos', ['controller' => 'gallery']);
 
         $expected = [
             'photos'           => '\Gallery::index',
@@ -744,6 +768,25 @@ public function testResourcesWithCustomController(): void
         $this->assertSame($expected, $routes->getRoutes());
     }
 
+    public function testPresenterWithCustomController(): void
+    {
+        service('request')->setMethod(Method::GET);
+        $routes = $this->getCollector();
+
+        $routes->presenter('photos', ['controller' => 'gallery']);
+
+        $expected = [
+            'photos'             => '\Gallery::index',
+            'photos/show/(.*)'   => '\Gallery::show/$1',
+            'photos/new'         => '\Gallery::new',
+            'photos/edit/(.*)'   => '\Gallery::edit/$1',
+            'photos/remove/(.*)' => '\Gallery::remove/$1',
+            'photos/(.*)'        => '\Gallery::show/$1',
+        ];
+
+        $this->assertSame($expected, $routes->getRoutes());
+    }
+
     public function testResourcesWithCustomPlaceholder(): void
     {
         service('request')->setMethod(Method::GET);
diff --git a/user_guide_src/source/changelogs/v4.8.0.rst b/user_guide_src/source/changelogs/v4.8.0.rst
index ea39987d4240..d7845cdd76c3 100644
--- a/user_guide_src/source/changelogs/v4.8.0.rst
+++ b/user_guide_src/source/changelogs/v4.8.0.rst
@@ -385,6 +385,7 @@ Changes
 *******
 
 - **Config:** Added the ``md`` key for ``Config\Mimes::$mimes`` for Markdown files.
+- **Router:** Removed inappropriate ``esc(strip_tags())`` input transformations on controller and method identifiers in ``RouteCollection``.
 
 ************
 Deprecations