diff --git a/demos/chat/chatdemo.py b/demos/chat/chatdemo.py
index 6c3fcac2..4442fc39 100755
--- a/demos/chat/chatdemo.py
+++ b/demos/chat/chatdemo.py
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ class Application(tornado.web.Application):
             template_path=os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "templates"),
             static_path=os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "static"),
             xsrf_cookies=True,
-            autoescape="xhtml_escape",
         )
         tornado.web.Application.__init__(self, handlers, **settings)