diff --git a/packages/nuxt3/package.json b/packages/nuxt3/package.json
index 12458f98fb..36a2334d6e 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt3/package.json
+++ b/packages/nuxt3/package.json
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
     "cookie-es": "^0.5.0",
     "defu": "^5.0.1",
     "destr": "^1.1.0",
+    "escape-string-regexp": "^5.0.0",
     "globby": "^13.1.0",
     "h3": "^0.3.9",
     "hash-sum": "^2.0.0",
diff --git a/packages/nuxt3/src/auto-imports/context.ts b/packages/nuxt3/src/auto-imports/context.ts
index 880685c827..dcec647874 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt3/src/auto-imports/context.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt3/src/auto-imports/context.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { AutoImport } from '@nuxt/schema'
+import escapeRE from 'escape-string-regexp'
 
 export interface AutoImportContext {
   autoImports: AutoImport[]
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ export function updateAutoImportContext (ctx: AutoImportContext) {
   ctx.autoImports = ctx.autoImports.filter(i => i.disabled !== true)
 
   // Create regex
-  ctx.matchRE = new RegExp(`\\b(${ctx.autoImports.map(i => i.as).join('|')})\\b`, 'g')
+  ctx.matchRE = new RegExp(`\\b(${ctx.autoImports.map(i => escapeRE(i.as)).join('|')})\\b`, 'g')
 
   // Create map
   ctx.map.clear()
diff --git a/packages/nuxt3/src/core/plugins/import-protection.ts b/packages/nuxt3/src/core/plugins/import-protection.ts
index d6ff6446d1..6598ac9a6f 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt3/src/core/plugins/import-protection.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt3/src/core/plugins/import-protection.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { createUnplugin } from 'unplugin'
 import consola from 'consola'
 import { isAbsolute, relative, resolve } from 'pathe'
 import type { Nuxt } from '@nuxt/schema'
+import escapeRE from 'escape-string-regexp'
 
 const _require = createRequire(import.meta.url)
 
@@ -11,8 +12,6 @@ interface ImportProtectionOptions {
   patterns: [importPattern: string | RegExp, warning?: string][]
 }
 
-const escapeRE = (str: string) => str.replace(/[-[\]{}()*+?.,\\^$|#\s]/g, '\\$&')
-
 export const vueAppPatterns = (nuxt: Nuxt) => [
   [/^(nuxt3|nuxt)/, '`nuxt3`/`nuxt` cannot be imported directly. Instead, import runtime Nuxt composables from `#app` or `#imports`.'],
   [/nuxt\.config/, 'Importing directly from a `nuxt.config` file is not allowed. Instead, use runtime config or a module.'],
diff --git a/packages/nuxt3/src/core/templates.ts b/packages/nuxt3/src/core/templates.ts
index 5955095b0a..41b58491a2 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt3/src/core/templates.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt3/src/core/templates.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { templateUtils } from '@nuxt/kit'
 import type { Nuxt, NuxtApp } from '@nuxt/schema'
 
 import { relative } from 'pathe'
+import escapeRE from 'escape-string-regexp'
 
 type TemplateContext = {
   nuxt: Nuxt;
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ export const pluginsDeclaration = {
   filename: 'plugins.d.ts',
   write: true,
   getContents: (ctx: TemplateContext) => {
-    const EXTENSION_RE = new RegExp(`(?<=\\w)(${ctx.nuxt.options.extensions.map(e => `\\${e}`).join('|')})$`, 'g')
+    const EXTENSION_RE = new RegExp(`(?<=\\w)(${ctx.nuxt.options.extensions.map(e => `\\${escapeRE(e)}`).join('|')})$`, 'g')
     const tsImports = ctx.app.plugins.map(p => relative(ctx.nuxt.options.buildDir, p.src).replace(EXTENSION_RE, ''))
 
     return `// Generated by Nuxt3'
diff --git a/packages/nuxt3/src/pages/module.ts b/packages/nuxt3/src/pages/module.ts
index 7e51754713..8fbd60b00b 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt3/src/pages/module.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt3/src/pages/module.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { existsSync } from 'fs'
 import { defineNuxtModule, addTemplate, addPlugin, templateUtils, addVitePlugin, addWebpackPlugin } from '@nuxt/kit'
 import { resolve } from 'pathe'
+import escapeRE from 'escape-string-regexp'
 import { distDir } from '../dirs'
 import { resolveLayouts, resolvePagesRoutes, normalizeRoutes, resolveMiddleware, getImportName } from './utils'
 import { TransformMacroPlugin, TransformMacroPluginOptions } from './macros'
@@ -25,7 +26,13 @@ export default defineNuxtModule({
 
     // Regenerate templates when adding or removing pages
     nuxt.hook('builder:watch', async (event, path) => {
-      const pathPattern = new RegExp(`^(${nuxt.options.dir.pages}|${nuxt.options.dir.layouts})/`)
+      const dirs = [
+        nuxt.options.dir.pages,
+        nuxt.options.dir.layouts,
+        nuxt.options.dir.middleware
+      ].filter(Boolean)
+
+      const pathPattern = new RegExp(`^(${dirs.map(escapeRE).join('|')})/`)
       if (event !== 'change' && path.match(pathPattern)) {
         await nuxt.callHook('builder:generateApp')
       }
@@ -83,13 +90,13 @@ export default defineNuxtModule({
       filename: 'middleware.mjs',
       async getContents () {
         const middleware = await resolveMiddleware()
-        await nuxt.callHook('pages:middleware:extend', middleware)
-        const middlewareObject = Object.fromEntries(middleware.map(mw => [mw.name, `{() => import('${mw.path}')}`]))
         const globalMiddleware = middleware.filter(mw => mw.global)
+        const namedMiddleware = middleware.filter(mw => !mw.global)
+        const namedMiddlewareObject = Object.fromEntries(namedMiddleware.map(mw => [mw.name, `{() => import('${mw.path}')}`]))
         return [
           ...globalMiddleware.map(mw => `import ${getImportName(mw.name)} from '${mw.path}'`),
           `export const globalMiddleware = [${globalMiddleware.map(mw => getImportName(mw.name)).join(', ')}]`,
-          `export const namedMiddleware = ${templateUtils.serialize(middlewareObject)}`
+          `export const namedMiddleware = ${templateUtils.serialize(namedMiddlewareObject)}`
         ].join('\n')
       }
     })
@@ -100,9 +107,10 @@ export default defineNuxtModule({
       getContents: async () => {
         const composablesFile = resolve(runtimeDir, 'composables')
         const middleware = await resolveMiddleware()
+        const namedMiddleware = middleware.filter(mw => !mw.global)
         return [
           'import type { NavigationGuard } from \'vue-router\'',
-          `export type MiddlewareKey = ${middleware.map(mw => `"${mw.name}"`).join(' | ') || 'string'}`,
+          `export type MiddlewareKey = ${namedMiddleware.map(mw => `"${mw.name}"`).join(' | ') || 'string'}`,
           `declare module '${composablesFile}' {`,
           '  interface PageMeta {',
           '    middleware?: MiddlewareKey | NavigationGuard | Array<MiddlewareKey | NavigationGuard>',
@@ -130,11 +138,6 @@ export default defineNuxtModule({
       }
     })
 
-    nuxt.hook('prepare:types', ({ references }) => {
-      references.push({ path: resolve(nuxt.options.buildDir, 'middleware.d.ts') })
-      references.push({ path: resolve(nuxt.options.buildDir, 'layouts.d.ts') })
-    })
-
     // Add layouts template
     addTemplate({
       filename: 'layouts.mjs',
@@ -149,5 +152,11 @@ export default defineNuxtModule({
         ].join('\n')
       }
     })
+
+    // Add declarations for middleware and layout keys
+    nuxt.hook('prepare:types', ({ references }) => {
+      references.push({ path: resolve(nuxt.options.buildDir, 'middleware.d.ts') })
+      references.push({ path: resolve(nuxt.options.buildDir, 'layouts.d.ts') })
+    })
   }
 })
diff --git a/packages/nuxt3/src/pages/utils.ts b/packages/nuxt3/src/pages/utils.ts
index 2a166169ab..ea23be2bfd 100644
--- a/packages/nuxt3/src/pages/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxt3/src/pages/utils.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { encodePath } from 'ufo'
 import type { Nuxt, NuxtMiddleware, NuxtPage } from '@nuxt/schema'
 import { resolveFiles, useNuxt } from '@nuxt/kit'
 import { kebabCase, pascalCase } from 'scule'
+import escapeRE from 'escape-string-regexp'
 
 enum SegmentParserState {
   initial,
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ export function generateRoutesFromFiles (files: string[], pagesDir: string): Nux
 
   for (const file of files) {
     const segments = relative(pagesDir, file)
-      .replace(new RegExp(`${extname(file)}$`), '')
+      .replace(new RegExp(`${escapeRE(extname(file))}$`), '')
       .split('/')
 
     const route: NuxtPage = {
@@ -219,7 +220,9 @@ export async function resolveLayouts (nuxt: Nuxt) {
   const layoutDir = resolve(nuxt.options.srcDir, nuxt.options.dir.layouts)
   const files = await resolveFiles(layoutDir, `*{${nuxt.options.extensions.join(',')}}`)
 
-  return files.map(file => ({ name: getNameFromPath(file), file }))
+  const layouts = files.map(file => ({ name: getNameFromPath(file), file }))
+  await nuxt.callHook('pages:layouts:extend', layouts)
+  return layouts
 }
 
 export function normalizeRoutes (routes: NuxtPage[], metaImports: Set<string> = new Set()): { imports: Set<string>, routes: NuxtPage[]} {
@@ -243,7 +246,9 @@ export async function resolveMiddleware (): Promise<NuxtMiddleware[]> {
   const nuxt = useNuxt()
   const middlewareDir = resolve(nuxt.options.srcDir, nuxt.options.dir.middleware)
   const files = await resolveFiles(middlewareDir, `*{${nuxt.options.extensions.join(',')}}`)
-  return files.map(path => ({ name: getNameFromPath(path), path, global: hasSuffix(path, '.global') }))
+  const middleware = files.map(path => ({ name: getNameFromPath(path), path, global: hasSuffix(path, '.global') }))
+  await nuxt.callHook('pages:middleware:extend', middleware)
+  return middleware
 }
 
 function getNameFromPath (path: string) {
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/config/_common.ts b/packages/schema/src/config/_common.ts
index c483bf012f..cd8325d0c8 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/config/_common.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/config/_common.ts
@@ -433,6 +433,7 @@ export default {
     layouts: 'layouts',
     /**
      * The middleware directory, each file of which will be auto-registered as a Nuxt middleware.
+     * @version 3
      * @version 2
      */
     middleware: 'middleware',
diff --git a/packages/schema/src/types/hooks.ts b/packages/schema/src/types/hooks.ts
index 2adbb2a2a4..83dc2c2743 100644
--- a/packages/schema/src/types/hooks.ts
+++ b/packages/schema/src/types/hooks.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ export type NuxtMiddleware = {
   global?: boolean
 }
 
+export type NuxtLayout = {
+  name: string
+  file: string
+}
+
 export interface NuxtHooks {
   // Kit
   'kit:compatibility': (compatibility: NuxtCompatibility, issues: NuxtCompatibilityIssues) => HookResult
@@ -58,6 +63,7 @@ export interface NuxtHooks {
   'builder:generateApp': () => HookResult
   'pages:extend': (pages: NuxtPage[]) => HookResult
   'pages:middleware:extend': (middleware: NuxtMiddleware[]) => HookResult
+  'pages:layouts:extend': (layouts: NuxtLayout[]) => HookResult
 
   // Auto imports
   'autoImports:sources': (autoImportSources: AutoImportSource[]) => HookResult
diff --git a/packages/vite/package.json b/packages/vite/package.json
index b1b9bcf157..276ba3eb3f 100644
--- a/packages/vite/package.json
+++ b/packages/vite/package.json
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
     "consola": "^2.15.3",
     "defu": "^5.0.1",
     "esbuild": "^0.14.14",
+    "escape-string-regexp": "^5.0.0",
     "externality": "^0.1.6",
     "fs-extra": "^10.0.0",
     "magic-string": "^0.25.7",
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/plugins/dynamic-base.ts b/packages/vite/src/plugins/dynamic-base.ts
index efb30dc9e7..3a52b396c3 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/plugins/dynamic-base.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/plugins/dynamic-base.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { createUnplugin } from 'unplugin'
+import escapeRE from 'escape-string-regexp'
 import type { Plugin } from 'vite'
 
 interface DynamicBasePluginOptions {
@@ -7,8 +8,6 @@ interface DynamicBasePluginOptions {
   globalPublicPath?: string
 }
 
-const escapeRE = (str: string) => str.replace(/[-[\]{}()*+?.,\\^$|#\s]/g, '\\$&')
-
 export const RelativeAssetPlugin = function (): Plugin {
   return {
     name: 'nuxt:vite-relative-asset',
diff --git a/packages/webpack/package.json b/packages/webpack/package.json
index 38a5fc2f73..3c6cbced03 100644
--- a/packages/webpack/package.json
+++ b/packages/webpack/package.json
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
     "css-minimizer-webpack-plugin": "^3.4.1",
     "cssnano": "^5.0.16",
     "esbuild-loader": "^2.18.0",
+    "escape-string-regexp": "^5.0.0",
     "file-loader": "^6.2.0",
     "fs-extra": "^10.0.0",
     "glob": "^7.2.0",
diff --git a/packages/webpack/src/presets/base.ts b/packages/webpack/src/presets/base.ts
index ef45ec1c16..92e3f40ad6 100644
--- a/packages/webpack/src/presets/base.ts
+++ b/packages/webpack/src/presets/base.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import WebpackBar from 'webpackbar'
 import consola from 'consola'
 import webpack from 'webpack'
 import FriendlyErrorsWebpackPlugin from '@nuxt/friendly-errors-webpack-plugin'
-import { escapeRegExp } from 'lodash-es'
+import escapeRegExp from 'escape-string-regexp'
 import { joinURL } from 'ufo'
 import WarningIgnorePlugin from '../plugins/warning-ignore'
 import { WebpackConfigContext, applyPresets, fileName } from '../utils/config'
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index fbd54affec..285657d9b8 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -3182,6 +3182,7 @@ __metadata:
     consola: ^2.15.3
     defu: ^5.0.1
     esbuild: ^0.14.14
+    escape-string-regexp: ^5.0.0
     externality: ^0.1.6
     fs-extra: ^10.0.0
     magic-string: ^0.25.7
@@ -3298,6 +3299,7 @@ __metadata:
     css-minimizer-webpack-plugin: ^3.4.1
     cssnano: ^5.0.16
     esbuild-loader: ^2.18.0
+    escape-string-regexp: ^5.0.0
     file-loader: ^6.2.0
     fs-extra: ^10.0.0
     glob: ^7.2.0
@@ -9556,6 +9558,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"escape-string-regexp@npm:^5.0.0":
+  version: 5.0.0
+  resolution: "escape-string-regexp@npm:5.0.0"
+  checksum: 20daabe197f3cb198ec28546deebcf24b3dbb1a5a269184381b3116d12f0532e06007f4bc8da25669d6a7f8efb68db0758df4cd981f57bc5b57f521a3e12c59e
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "eslint-config-standard@npm:^16.0.3":
   version: 16.0.3
   resolution: "eslint-config-standard@npm:16.0.3"
@@ -14841,6 +14850,7 @@ __metadata:
     cookie-es: ^0.5.0
     defu: ^5.0.1
     destr: ^1.1.0
+    escape-string-regexp: ^5.0.0
     globby: ^13.1.0
     h3: ^0.3.9
     hash-sum: ^2.0.0