diff --git a/lua/orgmode/api/file.lua b/lua/orgmode/api/file.lua
index 5488f04e6..57e22b5fa 100644
--- a/lua/orgmode/api/file.lua
+++ b/lua/orgmode/api/file.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---@diagnostic disable: invisible
 local OrgHeadline = require('orgmode.api.headline')
+local utils = require('orgmode.utils')
 local org = require('orgmode')
 
 ---@class OrgApiFile
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ end
 --- @return string
 function OrgFile:get_link()
   local filename = self.filename
-  local bufnr = vim.fn.bufnr('^' .. filename .. '$')
+  local bufnr = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(filename)
 
   if bufnr == -1 or not vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(bufnr) then
     -- do remote edit
diff --git a/lua/orgmode/api/headline.lua b/lua/orgmode/api/headline.lua
index f34cb8c5c..f5b12c291 100644
--- a/lua/orgmode/api/headline.lua
+++ b/lua/orgmode/api/headline.lua
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ local PriorityState = require('orgmode.objects.priority_state')
 local Date = require('orgmode.objects.date')
 local Calendar = require('orgmode.objects.calendar')
 local Promise = require('orgmode.utils.promise')
+local utils = require('orgmode.utils')
 local org = require('orgmode')
 
 ---@class OrgApiHeadline
@@ -276,7 +277,7 @@ end
 --- @return string
 function OrgHeadline:get_link()
   local filename = self.file.filename
-  local bufnr = vim.fn.bufnr('^' .. filename .. '$')
+  local bufnr = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(filename)
 
   if bufnr == -1 or not vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(bufnr) then
     -- do remote edit
diff --git a/lua/orgmode/api/init.lua b/lua/orgmode/api/init.lua
index 95f7669d0..90e6c89ef 100644
--- a/lua/orgmode/api/init.lua
+++ b/lua/orgmode/api/init.lua
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ local OrgHeadline = require('orgmode.api.headline')
 local orgmode = require('orgmode')
 local validator = require('orgmode.utils.validator')
 local Promise = require('orgmode.utils.promise')
+local utils = require('orgmode.utils')
 
 ---@class OrgApiRefileOpts
 ---@field source OrgApiHeadline
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ function OrgApi.refile(opts)
     refile_opts.destination_headline = opts.destination._section
   end
 
-  local source_bufnr = vim.fn.bufnr('^' .. opts.source.file.filename .. '$') or -1
+  local source_bufnr = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(opts.source.file.filename)
   local is_capture = source_bufnr > -1 and vim.b[source_bufnr].org_capture
 
   if is_capture and orgmode.capture._window then
diff --git a/lua/orgmode/files/file.lua b/lua/orgmode/files/file.lua
index 0db8209aa..cd125dc82 100644
--- a/lua/orgmode/files/file.lua
+++ b/lua/orgmode/files/file.lua
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ end
 ---Load the file
 ---@return OrgPromise<OrgFile | false>
 function OrgFile.load(filename)
-  local bufnr = vim.fn.bufnr('^' .. filename .. '$') or -1
+  local bufnr = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(filename)
 
   if
     bufnr > -1
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ end
 
 ---@return number
 function OrgFile:bufnr()
-  local bufnr = vim.fn.bufnr('^' .. self.filename .. '$') or -1
+  local bufnr = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(self.filename)
   -- Do not consider unloaded buffers as valid
   -- Treesitter is not working in them
   if bufnr > -1 and vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(bufnr) then
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ end
 ---Return valid buffer handle or throw an error if it's not valid
 ---@return number
 function OrgFile:get_valid_bufnr()
-  local bufnr = vim.fn.bufnr('^' .. self.filename .. '$') or -1
+  local bufnr = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(self.filename)
   if bufnr < 0 then
     error('[orgmode] No valid buffer for file ' .. self.filename .. ' to edit', 0)
   end
diff --git a/lua/orgmode/utils/init.lua b/lua/orgmode/utils/init.lua
index 1033cc3c0..40f1d6edc 100644
--- a/lua/orgmode/utils/init.lua
+++ b/lua/orgmode/utils/init.lua
@@ -622,4 +622,11 @@ function utils.if_nil(...)
   return nil
 end
 
+---Get buffer number by filename with proper regex escaping
+---@param filename string The filename to search for
+---@return number Buffer number or -1 if not found/loaded
+function utils.get_buffer_by_filename(filename)
+  return vim.fn.bufnr('^' .. vim.fn.escape(filename, '^$.*?/\\[]~') .. '$')
+end
+
 return utils
diff --git a/tests/plenary/files/file_spec.lua b/tests/plenary/files/file_spec.lua
index 7b17dc603..0f9e8977b 100644
--- a/tests/plenary/files/file_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/plenary/files/file_spec.lua
@@ -46,6 +46,19 @@ describe('OrgFile', function()
       file:reload_sync()
       assert.are.same(4, file.metadata.changedtick)
     end)
+
+    it('should load files with special characters in filename from buffer', function()
+      local special_filename = vim.fn.tempname() .. '[test].org'
+      local file = load_file_sync({ '* Headline with bracket filename' }, special_filename)
+      vim.cmd('edit ' .. vim.fn.fnameescape(file.filename))
+
+      -- Test that OrgFile.load can find the buffer correctly
+      local loaded_file = OrgFile.load(special_filename):wait()
+      assert.are.same(special_filename, loaded_file.filename)
+      assert.are.same({ '* Headline with bracket filename' }, loaded_file.lines)
+
+      vim.cmd('bdelete')
+    end)
   end)
 
   describe('reload', function()
@@ -564,6 +577,42 @@ describe('OrgFile', function()
       assert.are.same(-1, file:bufnr())
       assert.is.True(vim.fn.bufnr(file.filename) > 0)
     end)
+
+    it('should work with filenames containing special characters', function()
+      -- Test various special characters that have regex meaning
+      local test_cases = {
+        '[test].org',
+        '(test).org',
+        'test[1].org',
+        'file.with.dots.org',
+        'file+plus.org',
+        'file*star.org',
+        'file?question.org',
+        'file$dollar.org',
+        'file^caret.org',
+      }
+
+      for _, special_filename in ipairs(test_cases) do
+        local full_filename = vim.fn.tempname() .. special_filename
+        local file = load_file_sync({
+          '* Headline with special filename',
+          '  Content in special file',
+        }, full_filename)
+
+        -- Test that bufnr() works correctly
+        assert.are.same(-1, file:bufnr())
+
+        -- Test that loading the buffer works
+        vim.cmd('edit ' .. vim.fn.fnameescape(file.filename))
+        assert.is.True(file:bufnr() > 0, 'Failed for filename: ' .. special_filename)
+
+        -- Test that get_valid_bufnr() works
+        local bufnr = file:get_valid_bufnr()
+        assert.is.True(bufnr > 0, 'get_valid_bufnr failed for filename: ' .. special_filename)
+
+        vim.cmd('bdelete')
+      end
+    end)
   end)
 
   describe('get_filetags', function()
diff --git a/tests/plenary/utils_spec.lua b/tests/plenary/utils_spec.lua
index f2142b1ff..45c85abac 100644
--- a/tests/plenary/utils_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/plenary/utils_spec.lua
@@ -135,4 +135,59 @@ describe('Util', function()
       assert.are.equal(expected, err)
     end)
   end)
+
+  describe('get_buffer_by_filename', function()
+    it('should return -1 for non-existent files', function()
+      local result = utils.get_buffer_by_filename('/this/file/does/not/exist.org')
+      assert.are.same(-1, result)
+    end)
+
+    it('should return buffer number for loaded files', function()
+      local file = helpers.create_file({ '* Test headline' })
+      local result = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(file.filename)
+      assert.is.True(result > 0)
+    end)
+
+    it('should handle filenames with special regex characters', function()
+      -- Test various special characters that would break unescaped regex
+      local test_cases = {
+        '[test].org',
+        '(test).org',
+        'test[1].org',
+        'file.with.dots.org',
+        'file+plus.org',
+        'file*star.org',
+        'file?question.org',
+        'file$dollar.org',
+        'file^caret.org',
+      }
+
+      for _, special_filename in ipairs(test_cases) do
+        local full_filename = vim.fn.tempname() .. special_filename
+        vim.fn.writefile({ '* Test headline' }, full_filename)
+        vim.cmd('edit ' .. vim.fn.fnameescape(full_filename))
+
+        local result = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(full_filename)
+        assert.is.True(result > 0, 'Failed for filename: ' .. special_filename)
+
+        vim.cmd('bdelete')
+      end
+    end)
+
+    it('should return -1 for unloaded buffers', function()
+      local file = helpers.create_file({ '* Test headline' })
+      local filename = file.filename
+
+      -- First verify it works when loaded
+      local result_loaded = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(filename)
+      assert.is.True(result_loaded > 0)
+
+      -- Wipe the buffer (this actually unloads it from memory)
+      vim.cmd('bwipeout')
+
+      -- Should return -1 for wiped buffer
+      local result_unloaded = utils.get_buffer_by_filename(filename)
+      assert.are.same(-1, result_unloaded)
+    end)
+  end)
 end)