diff --git a/specfile/sanitizer.py b/specfile/sanitizer.py
index ed0945d..8f49c34 100644
--- a/specfile/sanitizer.py
+++ b/specfile/sanitizer.py
@@ -359,6 +359,12 @@ def normalize_macro(expr):
                 return None
             return expr
 
+        def normalize_literal(expr):
+            expr = strip_quotes(expr.strip())
+            if not expr or re.search(r"[%{}]", expr):
+                return None
+            return f"%{{quote:{expr}}}"
+
         def is_safe_for_expand(s):
             return not re.search(r"%(\{\w+[\s:]|\(|\[)", s)
 
@@ -709,7 +715,7 @@ def convert_glob_removal(expr, op, pat):
         # --- echo EXPR | CMD (pipe pattern) ---
         m = _RE_PIPE.match(body)
         if m:
-            expr = normalize_macro(m.group(1))
+            expr = normalize_macro(m.group(1)) or normalize_literal(m.group(1))
             if expr is not None:
                 cmd = m.group(2).strip()
                 result = convert_string_op(expr, cmd)
@@ -720,7 +726,7 @@ def convert_glob_removal(expr, op, pat):
         m = _RE_HERESTRING.match(body)
         if m:
             cmd = m.group(1).strip()
-            expr = normalize_macro(m.group(2))
+            expr = normalize_macro(m.group(2)) or normalize_literal(m.group(2))
             if expr is not None:
                 result = convert_string_op(expr, cmd)
                 if result:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_sanitizer.py b/tests/unit/test_sanitizer.py
index a9556f1..20b41fe 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_sanitizer.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_sanitizer.py
@@ -319,6 +319,10 @@ def test_pipe_to_tr(body, expected):
             "echo %{unversion} | sed 's/_/./g'",
             '%{lua:print((rpm.expand("%{unversion}"):gsub("_", ".")))}',
         ),
+        (
+            "echo 1.2.3-rc4 | sed 's/-/~/g'",
+            '%{lua:print((rpm.expand("%{quote:1.2.3-rc4}"):gsub("-", "~")))}',
+        ),
     ],
 )
 def test_pipe_to_sed(body, expected):
@@ -390,6 +394,10 @@ def test_pipe_to_awk(body, expected):
             "sed 's/\\.//g' <<<%{version}",
             '%{lua:print((rpm.expand("%{version}"):gsub("%.", "")))}',
         ),
+        (
+            "sed 's/-/~/g' <<<1.2.3-rc4",
+            '%{lua:print((rpm.expand("%{quote:1.2.3-rc4}"):gsub("-", "~")))}',
+        ),
     ],
 )
 def test_herestring(body, expected):