diff --git a/manager/manager_cmds/distribution.py b/manager/manager_cmds/distribution.py
index 58443a43..e80545d3 100644
--- a/manager/manager_cmds/distribution.py
+++ b/manager/manager_cmds/distribution.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import fnmatch
 import glob
 import os
+import re
 import shutil
 import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -169,7 +170,10 @@ def canonicalize_path(spath):
 
 
 def valid_env_scopes(env):
-    scopes = spack.config.CONFIG.matching_scopes(f"^env:{env.name}|^include:")
+    env_name = getattr(env, "name", None)
+    escaped_env_name = re.escape(env_name)
+    pattern = f"^(env:{escaped_env_name}|include:)"
+    scopes = spack.config.CONFIG.matching_scopes(pattern)
     return [s.name for s in scopes]
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_distribution.py b/tests/test_distribution.py
index 0ce9c380..7afd66b9 100644
--- a/tests/test_distribution.py
+++ b/tests/test_distribution.py
@@ -258,6 +258,23 @@ def test_get_valid_env_scopes(tmpdir):
     assert len(scope_names) == 2
 
 
+def test_get_valid_env_scopes_escape_chars(tmpdir):
+    """
+    Regression test: valid_env_scopes should match an environment scope even
+    when env.name contains regex-special characters.
+    """
+    env_dir = os.path.join(tmpdir.strpath, "escape_char+_-=/*!~", "environment")
+    manifest = os.path.join(env_dir, "spack.yaml")
+
+    create_spack_manifest(manifest)
+
+    env = spack.environment.environment_from_name_or_dir(os.path.dirname(manifest))
+    with env:
+        scope_names = distribution.valid_env_scopes(env)
+
+    assert f"env:{env.name}" in scope_names
+
+
 class MockArgs:
     def __init__(self, source=False, binary=False):
         self.source_only = source