Index: src/site/xdoc/manual/layouts.xml.vm
===================================================================
--- src/site/xdoc/manual/layouts.xml.vm	(revision 1605237)
+++ src/site/xdoc/manual/layouts.xml.vm	(working copy)
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@
             A conversion pattern is composed of literal text and format control expressions called
             <em>conversion specifiers</em>.
           </p>
-          <p><i>Note that any literal text may be included in the conversion pattern.</i>
+          <p><i>Note that any literal text, including <b>Special Characters</b>, may be included in the conversion
+            pattern.</i> Special Characters include <b>\t</b>, <b>\n</b>, <b>\r</b>, <b>\f</b>. Use <b>\\</b> to
+            insert a single backslash into the output.
           </p>
           <p>Each conversion specifier starts with a percent sign (%) and is followed by optional <em>format
             modifiers</em> and a <em>conversion character</em>. The conversion character specifies the type of
Index: log4j-core/src/test/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/layout/PatternLayoutTest.java
===================================================================
--- log4j-core/src/test/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/layout/PatternLayoutTest.java	(revision 1605237)
+++ log4j-core/src/test/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/layout/PatternLayoutTest.java	(working copy)
@@ -237,5 +237,16 @@
         assertTrue("expected \"Hello world Header\", actual \"" + new String(header) + '"', new String(header).equals(new String("Hello world Header")));
     }
 
-
+    @Test
+    public void testSpecialChars() throws Exception {
+        final LoggerContext ctx = (LoggerContext) LogManager.getContext();
+        final PatternLayout layout = PatternLayout.newBuilder()
+            .withPattern("%level\\t%msg\\n\\t%logger\\n")
+            .withConfiguration(ctx.getConfiguration())
+            .build();
+        final LogEvent event = new Log4jLogEvent(this.getClass().getName(), null,
+                "org.apache.logging.log4j.core.Logger", Level.INFO, new SimpleMessage("Hello, world!"), null);
+        final byte[] result = layout.toByteArray(event);
+        assertEquals("INFO\tHello, world!\n\torg.apache.logging.log4j.core.layout.PatternLayoutTest\n", new String(result));
+    }
 }
Index: log4j-core/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/layout/PatternLayout.java
===================================================================
--- log4j-core/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/layout/PatternLayout.java	(revision 1605237)
+++ log4j-core/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/layout/PatternLayout.java	(working copy)
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.pattern.PatternParser;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.pattern.RegexReplacement;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.util.Charsets;
-import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.util.OptionConverter;
 
 /**
  * <p>A flexible layout configurable with pattern string. The goal of this class
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@
     /**
      * Conversion pattern.
      */
-    private final String conversionPattern;
+    private String conversionPattern;
 
 
     /**
@@ -166,12 +165,12 @@
      * @param conversionPattern conversion pattern.
      */
     public void setConversionPattern(final String conversionPattern) {
-        final String pattern = OptionConverter.convertSpecialChars(conversionPattern);
-        if (pattern == null) {
+        if (conversionPattern == null) {
             return;
         }
+        this.conversionPattern = conversionPattern;
         final PatternParser parser = createPatternParser(this.config);
-        formatters = parser.parse(pattern, this.alwaysWriteExceptions, this.noConsoleNoAnsi);
+        formatters = parser.parse(conversionPattern, this.alwaysWriteExceptions, this.noConsoleNoAnsi);
     }
 
     /**
Index: log4j-core/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/pattern/LiteralPatternConverter.java
===================================================================
--- log4j-core/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/pattern/LiteralPatternConverter.java	(revision 1605237)
+++ log4j-core/src/main/java/org/apache/logging/log4j/core/pattern/LiteralPatternConverter.java	(working copy)
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.LogEvent;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.config.Configuration;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.core.util.OptionConverter;
 
 
 /**
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@
      */
     public LiteralPatternConverter(final Configuration config, final String literal) {
         super("Literal", "literal");
-        this.literal = literal;
+        this.literal = OptionConverter.convertSpecialChars(literal);
         this.config = config;
         substitute = config != null && literal.contains("${");
     }