diff --git a/manifests/recovery_message.pp b/manifests/recovery_message.pp
index b13948a..44ef2bc 100644
--- a/manifests/recovery_message.pp
+++ b/manifests/recovery_message.pp
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@
   $kextdir     = '/System/Library/Extensions'
   $eficachedir = '/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.corestorage/EFILoginLocalizations'
 
+  # The recovery message cannot contain an apostrophe (') because we're passing
+  # it into a single-quoted exec. If it does contain an apostrophe, fail and
+  # alert the user
+  if "'" in $value {
+    fail("Your osx::recovery_message declaration contains an apostrophe ('),",
+         "which will cause the exec used to set the message to fail. Please",
+         "remove the apostrophe and try again. Your message: \"${value}\"")
+  }
+
   # The CoreStorage kext cache needs to be updated so the recovery message
   # is displayed on the FDE pre-boot screen.
   #
diff --git a/spec/defines/recovery_message_spec.rb b/spec/defines/recovery_message_spec.rb
index ce71447..b6a3790 100644
--- a/spec/defines/recovery_message_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/recovery_message_spec.rb
@@ -58,4 +58,15 @@
       })
     end
   end
+
+  context 'Given a value with an apostrophe' do
+    let(:title) { "Jack's message with an apostrophe" }
+    let(:error) { "Your osx::recovery_message declaration contains an apostrophe" }
+
+    it do
+      expect {
+        should contain_exec('Set OS X Recovery Message NVRAM Variable')
+      }.to raise_error(Puppet::Error, /#{error}/)
+    end
+  end
 end