diff --git a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/EndingWith.java b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/EndingWith.java
index 6cf285a..9809e8a 100644
--- a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/EndingWith.java
+++ b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/EndingWith.java
@@ -35,27 +35,29 @@
  * <p>In Criteria API, an equivalent expression might be:
  *
  * <pre>{@code
- * cb.like(root.get(path), "%" + value);
+ * cb.like(root.get(path), "%" + value, '\\');
  * }</pre>
  *
  * <p>This typically translates to SQL like:
  *
  * <pre>
- * {@code ... where x.firstname like %?}
+ * {@code ... where x.firstname like %? escape '\'}
  * </pre>
  *
+ * <p>The value is matched literally, see {@link LikePattern}.
+ *
  * @author Matt Ho
  * @see StartingWith
  */
 public class EndingWith<T> extends SimpleSpecification<T> {
 
   public EndingWith(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull String path, @NonNull Object value) {
-    super(context, path, "%" + value);
+    super(context, path, "%" + LikePattern.escape(value));
   }
 
   @Override
   public Predicate toPredicate(
       @NonNull Root<T> root, @Nullable CriteriaQuery<?> query, @NonNull CriteriaBuilder builder) {
-    return builder.like(getPath(root), Objects.toString(value));
+    return builder.like(getPath(root), Objects.toString(value), LikePattern.ESCAPE_CHAR);
   }
 }
diff --git a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/In.java b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/In.java
index 630e1d9..c255893 100644
--- a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/In.java
+++ b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/In.java
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 import jakarta.persistence.criteria.CriteriaQuery;
 import jakarta.persistence.criteria.Predicate;
 import jakarta.persistence.criteria.Root;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import lombok.NonNull;
 import org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification;
 import org.springframework.lang.Nullable;
@@ -45,11 +47,22 @@
  * ... WHERE x.firstname IN (?, ?, ...)
  * }</pre>
  *
+ * <p>Collections larger than {@link #MAX_CHUNK_SIZE} are partitioned into OR-combined {@code IN}
+ * clauses.
+ *
  * @author Matt Ho
  * @see NotIn
  */
 public class In<T> extends SimpleSpecification<T> {
 
+  /**
+   * The maximum number of elements expanded into a single {@code IN} clause.
+   *
+   * <p>Several RDBMS cap the number of elements of an {@code IN} clause, commonly at 1000, and huge
+   * lists degrade the query plan; tune this to the target RDBMS if needed.
+   */
+  public static final int MAX_CHUNK_SIZE = 1000;
+
   public In(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull String path, @NonNull Object value) {
     super(context, path, value);
     if (!(value instanceof Iterable)) {
@@ -60,7 +73,16 @@ public In(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull String path, @NonNull Object value)
   @Override
   public Predicate toPredicate(
       @NonNull Root<T> root, @Nullable CriteriaQuery<?> query, @NonNull CriteriaBuilder builder) {
-    return getPath(root)
-        .in(stream(((Iterable<?>) value).spliterator(), false).toArray(Object[]::new));
+    var path = getPath(root);
+    var values = stream(((Iterable<?>) value).spliterator(), false).toArray(Object[]::new);
+    if (values.length <= MAX_CHUNK_SIZE) {
+      return path.in(values);
+    }
+    var chunks = new ArrayList<Predicate>();
+    for (var from = 0; from < values.length; from += MAX_CHUNK_SIZE) {
+      var to = Math.min(from + MAX_CHUNK_SIZE, values.length);
+      chunks.add(path.in(Arrays.copyOfRange(values, from, to)));
+    }
+    return builder.or(chunks.toArray(Predicate[]::new));
   }
 }
diff --git a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/Like.java b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/Like.java
index f2a2ddb..bcb8642 100644
--- a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/Like.java
+++ b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/Like.java
@@ -35,27 +35,29 @@
  * <p>In Criteria API, an equivalent expression might be:
  *
  * <pre>{@code
- * cb.like(root.get(path), "%" + value + "%");
+ * cb.like(root.get(path), "%" + value + "%", '\\');
  * }</pre>
  *
  * <p>This typically translates to SQL like:
  *
  * <pre>{@code
- * ... where x.firstname like %?%
+ * ... where x.firstname like %?% escape '\'
  * }</pre>
  *
+ * <p>The value is matched literally, see {@link LikePattern}.
+ *
  * @author Matt Ho
  * @see NotLike
  */
 public class Like<T> extends SimpleSpecification<T> {
 
   public Like(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull String path, @NonNull Object value) {
-    super(context, path, "%" + value + "%");
+    super(context, path, "%" + LikePattern.escape(value) + "%");
   }
 
   @Override
   public Predicate toPredicate(
       @NonNull Root<T> root, @Nullable CriteriaQuery<?> query, @NonNull CriteriaBuilder builder) {
-    return builder.like(getPath(root), Objects.toString(value));
+    return builder.like(getPath(root), Objects.toString(value), LikePattern.ESCAPE_CHAR);
   }
 }
diff --git a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/LikePattern.java b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/LikePattern.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c12c4bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/LikePattern.java
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright © 2022 SoftLeader
+ *
+ * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+ * distributed with this work for additional information
+ * regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+ * to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+ * "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+ * with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+ * software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+ * "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+ * KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+ * specific language governing permissions and limitations
+ * under the License.
+ */
+package tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.domain;
+
+import java.util.Objects;
+import lombok.NonNull;
+
+/**
+ * Composes the {@code LIKE} patterns used by {@link Like}, {@link NotLike}, {@link StartingWith}
+ * and {@link EndingWith}.
+ *
+ * <p>User supplied values are matched literally: the wildcards {@code %} and {@code _}, as well as
+ * the {@link #ESCAPE_CHAR escape character} itself, are escaped before being composed into a
+ * pattern.
+ *
+ * @author Matt Ho
+ */
+public final class LikePattern {
+
+  /** The escape character declared by every {@code LIKE} predicate of this package. */
+  public static final char ESCAPE_CHAR = '\\';
+
+  private LikePattern() {}
+
+  /**
+   * Escapes the {@code LIKE} wildcards of the given value, so that it is matched literally.
+   *
+   * @param value the value to escape
+   * @return the escaped value
+   */
+  public static String escape(@NonNull Object value) {
+    var text = Objects.toString(value);
+    var escaped = new StringBuilder(text.length());
+    for (var i = 0; i < text.length(); i++) {
+      var c = text.charAt(i);
+      if (c == ESCAPE_CHAR || c == '%' || c == '_') {
+        escaped.append(ESCAPE_CHAR);
+      }
+      escaped.append(c);
+    }
+    return escaped.toString();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotIn.java b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotIn.java
index 8e68e23..da151ae 100644
--- a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotIn.java
+++ b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotIn.java
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@
  * ... where x.firstname not in (?, ?, ...)
  * }</pre>
  *
+ * <p>Collections larger than {@link In#MAX_CHUNK_SIZE} are partitioned the same way {@link In}
+ * does, negating the OR-combined chunks as a whole.
+ *
  * @author Matt Ho
  * @see In
  */
diff --git a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotLike.java b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotLike.java
index e5b7260..b5ddd68 100644
--- a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotLike.java
+++ b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotLike.java
@@ -36,27 +36,29 @@
  * <p>In Criteria API, an equivalent expression might be:
  *
  * <pre>{@code
- * cb.notLike(root.get(path), "%" + value + "%");
+ * cb.notLike(root.get(path), "%" + value + "%", '\\');
  * }</pre>
  *
  * <p>This typically translates to SQL like:
  *
  * <pre>{@code
- * ... where x.firstname not like %?%
+ * ... where x.firstname not like %?% escape '\'
  * }</pre>
  *
+ * <p>The value is matched literally, see {@link LikePattern}.
+ *
  * @author Matt Ho
  * @see Like
  */
 public class NotLike<T> extends SimpleSpecification<T> {
 
   public NotLike(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull String path, @NonNull Object value) {
-    super(context, path, "%" + value + "%");
+    super(context, path, "%" + LikePattern.escape(value) + "%");
   }
 
   @Override
   public Predicate toPredicate(
       @NonNull Root<T> root, @Nullable CriteriaQuery<?> query, @NonNull CriteriaBuilder builder) {
-    return builder.notLike(getPath(root), Objects.toString(value));
+    return builder.notLike(getPath(root), Objects.toString(value), LikePattern.ESCAPE_CHAR);
   }
 }
diff --git a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/StartingWith.java b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/StartingWith.java
index 5ed4f41..b242792 100644
--- a/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/StartingWith.java
+++ b/mapper/src/main/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/StartingWith.java
@@ -35,27 +35,29 @@
  * <p>In Criteria API, an equivalent expression might be:
  *
  * <pre>{@code
- * cb.like(root.get(path), value + "%");
+ * cb.like(root.get(path), value + "%", '\\');
  * }</pre>
  *
  * <p>This typically translates to SQL like:
  *
  * <pre>
- * {@code ... where x.firstname like ?%}
+ * {@code ... where x.firstname like ?% escape '\'}
  * </pre>
  *
+ * <p>The value is matched literally, see {@link LikePattern}.
+ *
  * @author Matt Ho
  * @see EndingWith
  */
 public class StartingWith<T> extends SimpleSpecification<T> {
 
   public StartingWith(@NonNull Context context, @NonNull String path, @NonNull Object value) {
-    super(context, path, value + "%");
+    super(context, path, LikePattern.escape(value) + "%");
   }
 
   @Override
   public Predicate toPredicate(
       @NonNull Root<T> root, @Nullable CriteriaQuery<?> query, @NonNull CriteriaBuilder builder) {
-    return builder.like(getPath(root), Objects.toString(value));
+    return builder.like(getPath(root), Objects.toString(value), LikePattern.ESCAPE_CHAR);
   }
 }
diff --git a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/DomainRuntimeHintsTest.java b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/DomainRuntimeHintsTest.java
index 395f95c..348b77c 100644
--- a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/DomainRuntimeHintsTest.java
+++ b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/DomainRuntimeHintsTest.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ void shouldRegisterHints() {
     assertThat(reflection().onType(LessThan.class)).accepts(hints);
     assertThat(reflection().onType(LessThanEqual.class)).accepts(hints);
     assertThat(reflection().onType(Like.class)).accepts(hints);
+    assertThat(reflection().onType(LikePattern.class)).accepts(hints);
     assertThat(reflection().onType(Not.class)).accepts(hints);
     assertThat(reflection().onType(NotEquals.class)).accepts(hints);
     assertThat(reflection().onType(NotIn.class)).accepts(hints);
diff --git a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/EndingWithTest.java b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/EndingWithTest.java
index ada9f9f..5a015dc 100644
--- a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/EndingWithTest.java
+++ b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/EndingWithTest.java
@@ -23,9 +23,13 @@
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 import static tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest.TestApplication.noopContext;
 
+import lombok.Builder;
+import lombok.Data;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest;
+import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.SpecMapper;
+import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.annotation.Spec;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.usecase.Customer;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.usecase.CustomerRepository;
 
@@ -43,4 +47,24 @@ void test() {
     var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
     assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(matt);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  void wildcardsMatchLiterally() {
+    var wildcard = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("bypass_").build());
+    repository.save(Customer.builder().name("matt").build());
+    repository.save(Customer.builder().name("bob").build());
+
+    var mapper = SpecMapper.builder().build();
+    var spec = mapper.toSpec(EndingWithCriteria.builder().name("_").build(), Customer.class);
+    var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
+    assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(wildcard);
+  }
+
+  @Builder
+  @Data
+  static class EndingWithCriteria {
+
+    @Spec(path = "name", value = EndingWith.class)
+    String name;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/InTest.java b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/InTest.java
index b76149d..f182184 100644
--- a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/InTest.java
+++ b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/InTest.java
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatExceptionOfType;
 import static tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest.TestApplication.noopContext;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.stream.IntStream;
 import lombok.Builder;
 import lombok.Data;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
@@ -51,6 +53,20 @@ void test() {
     assertThat(actual).hasSize(2).contains(matt, bob);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void moreValuesThanChunkSize() {
+    var matt = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("matt").build());
+    repository.save(Customer.builder().name("bob").build());
+
+    var values = new ArrayList<String>();
+    IntStream.rangeClosed(1, In.MAX_CHUNK_SIZE).mapToObj(i -> "name-" + i).forEach(values::add);
+    values.add("matt");
+
+    var spec = new In<Customer>(noopContext(), "name", values);
+    var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
+    assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(matt);
+  }
+
   @Test
   void typeMismatch() {
     var context = noopContext();
diff --git a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/LikeTest.java b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/LikeTest.java
index 3da6e05..21f46cb 100644
--- a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/LikeTest.java
+++ b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/LikeTest.java
@@ -23,9 +23,14 @@
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 import static tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest.TestApplication.noopContext;
 
+import lombok.Builder;
+import lombok.Data;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
+import org.springframework.data.jpa.domain.Specification;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest;
+import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.SpecMapper;
+import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.annotation.Spec;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.usecase.Customer;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.usecase.CustomerRepository;
 
@@ -44,4 +49,29 @@ void test() {
     var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
     assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(matt);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  void wildcardsMatchLiterally() {
+    var percent = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("a%b").build());
+    var underscore = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("a_b").build());
+    var backslash = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("a\\b").build());
+    repository.save(Customer.builder().name("axb").build());
+
+    var mapper = SpecMapper.builder().build();
+    assertThat(repository.findAll(toSpec(mapper, "a%b"))).hasSize(1).contains(percent);
+    assertThat(repository.findAll(toSpec(mapper, "a_b"))).hasSize(1).contains(underscore);
+    assertThat(repository.findAll(toSpec(mapper, "a\\b"))).hasSize(1).contains(backslash);
+  }
+
+  private Specification<Customer> toSpec(SpecMapper mapper, String name) {
+    return mapper.toSpec(LikeCriteria.builder().name(name).build(), Customer.class);
+  }
+
+  @Builder
+  @Data
+  static class LikeCriteria {
+
+    @Spec(path = "name", value = Like.class)
+    String name;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotInTest.java b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotInTest.java
index 68c3dd5..63fff44 100644
--- a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotInTest.java
+++ b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotInTest.java
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatExceptionOfType;
 import static tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest.TestApplication.noopContext;
 
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.stream.IntStream;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest;
@@ -47,6 +49,20 @@ void test() {
     assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(mary);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void moreValuesThanChunkSize() {
+    repository.save(Customer.builder().name("matt").build());
+    var bob = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("bob").build());
+
+    var values = new ArrayList<String>();
+    IntStream.rangeClosed(1, In.MAX_CHUNK_SIZE).mapToObj(i -> "name-" + i).forEach(values::add);
+    values.add("matt");
+
+    var spec = new NotIn<Customer>(noopContext(), "name", values);
+    var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
+    assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(bob);
+  }
+
   @Test
   void typeMismatch() {
     var context = noopContext();
diff --git a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotLikeTest.java b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotLikeTest.java
index 5d555a3..2961c9e 100644
--- a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotLikeTest.java
+++ b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/NotLikeTest.java
@@ -23,9 +23,13 @@
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 import static tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest.TestApplication.noopContext;
 
+import lombok.Builder;
+import lombok.Data;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest;
+import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.SpecMapper;
+import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.annotation.Spec;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.usecase.Customer;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.usecase.CustomerRepository;
 
@@ -44,4 +48,25 @@ void test() {
     var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
     assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(matt);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  void wildcardsMatchLiterally() {
+    repository.save(Customer.builder().name("a%b").build());
+    var underscore = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("a_b").build());
+    var backslash = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("a\\b").build());
+    var plain = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("axb").build());
+
+    var mapper = SpecMapper.builder().build();
+    var spec = mapper.toSpec(NotLikeCriteria.builder().name("a%b").build(), Customer.class);
+    var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
+    assertThat(actual).hasSize(3).contains(underscore, backslash, plain);
+  }
+
+  @Builder
+  @Data
+  static class NotLikeCriteria {
+
+    @Spec(path = "name", value = NotLike.class)
+    String name;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/StartingWithTest.java b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/StartingWithTest.java
index fe95989..87f81ae 100644
--- a/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/StartingWithTest.java
+++ b/mapper/src/test/java/tw/com/softleader/data/jpa/spec/domain/StartingWithTest.java
@@ -23,9 +23,13 @@
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 import static tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest.TestApplication.noopContext;
 
+import lombok.Builder;
+import lombok.Data;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.IntegrationTest;
+import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.SpecMapper;
+import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.annotation.Spec;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.usecase.Customer;
 import tw.com.softleader.data.jpa.spec.usecase.CustomerRepository;
 
@@ -43,4 +47,25 @@ void test() {
     var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
     assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(matt);
   }
+
+  /** A bare {@code %} must not bypass the prefix scoping by matching every row. */
+  @Test
+  void wildcardsMatchLiterally() {
+    var wildcard = repository.save(Customer.builder().name("%bypass").build());
+    repository.save(Customer.builder().name("matt").build());
+    repository.save(Customer.builder().name("bob").build());
+
+    var mapper = SpecMapper.builder().build();
+    var spec = mapper.toSpec(StartingWithCriteria.builder().name("%").build(), Customer.class);
+    var actual = repository.findAll(spec);
+    assertThat(actual).hasSize(1).contains(wildcard);
+  }
+
+  @Builder
+  @Data
+  static class StartingWithCriteria {
+
+    @Spec(path = "name", value = StartingWith.class)
+    String name;
+  }
 }