diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/os/apk.py b/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/os/apk.py
index 2e1084d537..09ec641694 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/os/apk.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/packaging/os/apk.py
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ def query_package(module, name):
 def query_latest(module, name):
     cmd = "%s version %s" % (APK_PATH, name)
     rc, stdout, stderr = module.run_command(cmd, check_rc=False)
-    search_pattern = "(%s)-[\d\.\w]+-[\d\w]+\s+(.)\s+[\d\.\w]+-[\d\w]+\s+" % (name)
+    search_pattern = r"(%s)-[\d\.\w]+-[\d\w]+\s+(.)\s+[\d\.\w]+-[\d\w]+\s+" % (re.escape(name))
     match = re.search(search_pattern, stdout)
     if match and match.group(2) == "<":
         return False
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def query_latest(module, name):
 def query_virtual(module, name):
     cmd = "%s -v info --description %s" % (APK_PATH, name)
     rc, stdout, stderr = module.run_command(cmd, check_rc=False)
-    search_pattern = "^%s: virtual meta package" % (name)
+    search_pattern = r"^%s: virtual meta package" % (re.escape(name))
     if re.search(search_pattern, stdout):
         return True
     return False
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ def upgrade_packages(module):
     rc, stdout, stderr = module.run_command(cmd, check_rc=False)
     if rc != 0:
         module.fail_json(msg="failed to upgrade packages")
-    if re.search('^OK', stdout):
+    if re.search(r'^OK', stdout):
         module.exit_json(changed=False, msg="packages already upgraded")
     module.exit_json(changed=True, msg="upgraded packages")
 
diff --git a/test/units/modules/packaging/os/test_apk.py b/test/units/modules/packaging/os/test_apk.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..20dcd47ff9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/modules/packaging/os/test_apk.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+from ansible.compat.tests import mock
+from ansible.compat.tests import unittest
+
+from ansible.modules.packaging.os import apk
+
+
+class TestApkQueryLatest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.module_names = [
+            'bash',
+            'g++',
+        ]
+
+    @mock.patch('ansible.modules.packaging.os.apk.AnsibleModule')
+    def test_not_latest(self, mock_module):
+        apk.APK_PATH = ""
+        for module_name in self.module_names:
+            command_output = module_name + '-2.0.0-r1 < 3.0.0-r2 '
+            mock_module.run_command.return_value = (0, command_output, None)
+            command_result = apk.query_latest(mock_module, module_name)
+            self.assertFalse(command_result)
+
+    @mock.patch('ansible.modules.packaging.os.apk.AnsibleModule')
+    def test_latest(self, mock_module):
+        apk.APK_PATH = ""
+        for module_name in self.module_names:
+            command_output = module_name + '-2.0.0-r1 = 2.0.0-r1 '
+            mock_module.run_command.return_value = (0, command_output, None)
+            command_result = apk.query_latest(mock_module, module_name)
+            self.assertTrue(command_result)