diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/helpers.py b/django/contrib/admin/helpers.py
index 04a3492e1c..b7c65e175f 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/helpers.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/helpers.py
@@ -115,17 +115,17 @@ class AdminField(object):
 
     def label_tag(self):
         classes = []
+        contents = conditional_escape(force_unicode(self.field.label))
         if self.is_checkbox:
             classes.append(u'vCheckboxLabel')
-            contents = force_unicode(escape(self.field.label))
         else:
-            contents = force_unicode(escape(self.field.label)) + u':'
+            contents += u':'
         if self.field.field.required:
             classes.append(u'required')
         if not self.is_first:
             classes.append(u'inline')
         attrs = classes and {'class': u' '.join(classes)} or {}
-        return self.field.label_tag(contents=contents, attrs=attrs)
+        return self.field.label_tag(contents=mark_safe(contents), attrs=attrs)
 
     def errors(self):
         return mark_safe(self.field.errors.as_ul())
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/admin_util/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/admin_util/tests.py
index eb110159c4..8113f2e16d 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/admin_util/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/admin_util/tests.py
@@ -4,14 +4,17 @@ from datetime import datetime
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib import admin
+from django.contrib.admin import helpers
 from django.contrib.admin.util import (display_for_field, label_for_field,
     lookup_field, NestedObjects)
 from django.contrib.admin.views.main import EMPTY_CHANGELIST_VALUE
 from django.contrib.sites.models import Site
 from django.db import models, DEFAULT_DB_ALIAS
+from django import forms
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils import unittest
 from django.utils.formats import localize
+from django.utils.safestring import mark_safe
 
 from .models import Article, Count, Event, Location
 
@@ -258,3 +261,26 @@ class UtilTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(
             unicode(log_entry).startswith('Deleted ')
         )
+
+    def test_safestring_in_field_label(self):
+        # safestring should not be escaped
+        class MyForm(forms.Form):
+            text = forms.CharField(label=mark_safe('<i>text</i>'))
+            cb   = forms.BooleanField(label=mark_safe('<i>cb</i>'))
+
+        form = MyForm()
+        self.assertEqual(helpers.AdminField(form, 'text', is_first=False).label_tag(),
+                         '<label for="id_text" class="required inline"><i>text</i>:</label>')
+        self.assertEqual(helpers.AdminField(form, 'cb', is_first=False).label_tag(),
+                         '<label for="id_cb" class="vCheckboxLabel required inline"><i>cb</i></label>')
+
+        # normal strings needs to be escaped
+        class MyForm(forms.Form):
+            text = forms.CharField(label='&text')
+            cb   = forms.BooleanField(label='&cb')
+
+        form = MyForm()
+        self.assertEqual(helpers.AdminField(form, 'text', is_first=False).label_tag(),
+                         '<label for="id_text" class="required inline">&amp;text:</label>')
+        self.assertEqual(helpers.AdminField(form, 'cb', is_first=False).label_tag(),
+                         '<label for="id_cb" class="vCheckboxLabel required inline">&amp;cb</label>')