diff --git a/src/monorepo/preview.rs b/src/monorepo/preview.rs
index b7e3439f..218b1230 100644
--- a/src/monorepo/preview.rs
+++ b/src/monorepo/preview.rs
@@ -127,10 +127,10 @@ fn format_preview_comment(packages: &[CheckPackage]) -> String {
     body.push_str("|---------|---------|------|------|\n");
     for pkg in packages {
         body.push_str(&format!(
-            "| {} | `{}` | `{}` | {} |\n",
+            "| {} | {} | {} | {} |\n",
             escape_md_cell(&pkg.name),
-            escape_md_cell(&pkg.current_version),
-            escape_md_cell(&pkg.next_version),
+            code_cell(&pkg.current_version),
+            code_cell(&pkg.next_version),
             escape_md_cell(&pkg.bump_type),
         ));
     }
@@ -155,5 +155,20 @@ pub(super) fn escape_md_cell(s: &str) -> String {
     out
 }
 
+pub(super) fn code_cell(s: &str) -> String {
+    let flat = s.replace(['\n', '\r'], " ").replace('|', "\\|");
+    if flat.is_empty() {
+        return flat;
+    }
+    let longest_run = flat.split(|c| c != '`').map(str::len).max().unwrap_or(0);
+    let fence = "`".repeat(longest_run + 1);
+    let pad = if flat.starts_with('`') || flat.ends_with('`') {
+        " "
+    } else {
+        ""
+    };
+    format!("{fence}{pad}{flat}{pad}{fence}")
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests;
diff --git a/src/monorepo/preview/tests.rs b/src/monorepo/preview/tests.rs
index d57e285d..1f7e75c6 100644
--- a/src/monorepo/preview/tests.rs
+++ b/src/monorepo/preview/tests.rs
@@ -162,7 +162,10 @@ fn hostile_package_fields_cannot_break_the_table() {
         .lines()
         .find(|l| l.starts_with("| a"))
         .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("{body}"));
-    assert_eq!(row, r"| a\|b <img> | `1.2.0` | `1.3.0\`` | minor |");
+    assert_eq!(
+        row,
+        r"| a\|b <img> | `1.2.0` | `` 1.3.0` `` | minor |"
+    );
 }
 
 mod forge_from_repo {
@@ -219,3 +222,28 @@ mod forge_from_repo {
         );
     }
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn code_cell_wraps_a_plain_version_in_one_backtick() {
+    assert_eq!(code_cell("1.2.3"), "`1.2.3`");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn code_cell_lengthens_the_fence_past_an_inner_backtick_run() {
+    assert_eq!(code_cell("1.2`3"), "``1.2`3``");
+    assert_eq!(code_cell("a``b"), "```a``b```");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn code_cell_pads_a_value_that_starts_or_ends_with_a_backtick() {
+    assert_eq!(code_cell("`x"), "`` `x ``");
+    assert_eq!(code_cell("x`"), "`` x` ``");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn code_cell_keeps_the_row_intact_and_the_rest_literal() {
+    assert_eq!(code_cell("a|b"), r"`a\|b`");
+    assert_eq!(code_cell("a\nb"), "`a b`");
+    assert_eq!(code_cell(r"a\b<i>"), r"`a\b<i>`");
+    assert_eq!(code_cell(""), "");
+}