diff --git a/includes/class-wc-product-attribute.php b/includes/class-wc-product-attribute.php
index cad8804b55a..4dc117dede3 100644
--- a/includes/class-wc-product-attribute.php
+++ b/includes/class-wc-product-attribute.php
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class WC_Product_Attribute implements ArrayAccess {
 				$term = get_term_by( 'id', $option, $this->get_name() );
 			} else {
 				// Term names get escaped in WP. See sanitize_term_field.
-				$term = get_term_by( 'name', esc_attr( $option ), $this->get_name() );
+				$term = get_term_by( 'name', $option, $this->get_name() );
 
 				if ( ! $term || is_wp_error( $term ) ) {
 					$new_term = wp_insert_term( $option, $this->get_name() );