diff --git a/config/punctuation/default.conf b/config/punctuation/default.conf
index 9b5e1622..22cdc00e 100644
--- a/config/punctuation/default.conf
+++ b/config/punctuation/default.conf
@@ -48,27 +48,27 @@ _:===:line
 
 [emoticonDict]
 # This dictionary uses regexp, so be sure to escape anything that would be parsed by regexp, e.g. *, ., ^, $, etc.
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]<{-.-}>.*:===:Raves
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]8-\).*:===:smile with sunglasses
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]:-/.*:===:confused
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]-\.-.*:===:bugged
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]>\.<.*:===:laughing
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]8-X.*:===:skull
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]>:\).*:===:evil smile
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]>:-\).*:===:evil smile
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]\\o/.*:===:Hurray
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]:/.*:===:confused
-.*[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]8\).*:===:smile with sunglasses
-.*[\s*|'|"]:D[\s*|'|"].*:===:laugh
-.*[\s*|'|"];\)[\s*|'|"].*:===:wink
-.*[\s*|'|"]XD[\s*|'|"].*:===:LOL
-.*[\s*|'|"]:-\)[\s*|'|"].*:===:smile
-.*[\s*|'|"]:\)[\s*|'|"].*:===:smile
-.*[\s*|'|"]->[\s*|'|"].*:===:arrow right
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]<{-.-}>:===:Raves
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]8-\):===:smile with sunglasses
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]:-/:===:confused
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]-\.-:===:bugged
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]>\.<:===:laughing
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]8-X:===:skull
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]>:\):===:evil smile
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]>:-\):===:evil smile
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]\\o/:===:Hurray
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]:/:===:confused
+[\s*|'|"][\s*|'|"]8\):===:smile with sunglasses
+[\s*|'|"]:D[\s*|'|"]:===:laugh
+[\s*|'|"];\)[\s*|'|"]:===:wink
+[\s*|'|"]XD[\s*|'|"]:===:LOL
+[\s*|'|"]:-\)[\s*|'|"]:===:smile
+[\s*|'|"]:\)[\s*|'|"]:===:smile
+[\s*|'|"]->[\s*|'|"]:===:arrow right
 # example for arrow left
 #(?:[ |^])(<-)(?:[ ,.!?$]):===:arrow left
 # or
 #([ |^])<-([ ,.!?$]):===:arrow left\2
-.*[\s*|'|"]<-[\s*|'|"].*:===:arrow left
-.*[\s*|'|"][O|o][O|o][\s*|'|"].*:===:WTF?
-.*[\s*|'|"]\^\^[\s*|'|"].*:===:enjoy smile
+[\s*|'|"]<-[\s*|'|"]:===:arrow left
+[\s*|'|"][O|o][O|o][\s*|'|"]:===:WTF?
+[\s*|'|"]\^\^[\s*|'|"]:===:enjoy smile
diff --git a/src/fenrirscreenreader/core/punctuationManager.py b/src/fenrirscreenreader/core/punctuationManager.py
index 767d62ae..57416204 100644
--- a/src/fenrirscreenreader/core/punctuationManager.py
+++ b/src/fenrirscreenreader/core/punctuationManager.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class punctuationManager():
             if ' ' in punctuation:
                 resultText = resultText.replace(' ',' ' + punctuationDict[' '] + ' ')
             for key,item in punctuationDict.items():
-                if key in punctuation and key not in ' ':
+                if (punctuation != '' and key in punctuation) and key not in ' ':
                     if self.env['runtime']['settingsManager'].getSetting('general', 'respectPunctuationPause') and \
                       len(key) == 1 and \
                       key in "',.;:?!":