diff --git a/src/fenrirscreenreader/commands/commands/add_word_to_spell_check.py b/src/fenrirscreenreader/commands/commands/add_word_to_spell_check.py
index 5b0fdb93..92e12956 100644
--- a/src/fenrirscreenreader/commands/commands/add_word_to_spell_check.py
+++ b/src/fenrirscreenreader/commands/commands/add_word_to_spell_check.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class command():
         # get the word
         newContent = self.env['screen']['newContentText'].split('\n')[cursorPos['y']]
         x, y, currWord, endOfScreen, lineBreak =  word_utils.getCurrentWord(cursorPos['x'], 0, newContent)
-        currWord = currWord.strip(string.whitespace + '!"#$%&\()*+,-./:;<=§>?@[\\]^_{|}~')
+        currWord = currWord.strip(string.whitespace + r'!"#$%&\()*+,-./:;<=Â?@[\\]^_{|}~')
 
         if currWord != '':
             if self.spellChecker.is_added(currWord):
diff --git a/src/fenrirscreenreader/commands/commands/remove_word_from_spell_check.py b/src/fenrirscreenreader/commands/commands/remove_word_from_spell_check.py
index c6b998e2..4098b540 100644
--- a/src/fenrirscreenreader/commands/commands/remove_word_from_spell_check.py
+++ b/src/fenrirscreenreader/commands/commands/remove_word_from_spell_check.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class command():
         # get the word
         newContent = self.env['screen']['newContentText'].split('\n')[cursorPos['y']]
         x, y, currWord, endOfScreen, lineBreak =  word_utils.getCurrentWord(cursorPos['x'], 0, newContent)                  
-        currWord = currWord.strip(string.whitespace + '!"#$%&\()*+,-./:;<=§>?@[\\]^_{|}~')
+        currWord = currWord.strip(string.whitespace + r'!"#$%&()*+,-./:;<=Â?@[\\]^_{|}~')
         if not currWord.isspace():
             if self.spellChecker.is_removed(currWord):
                 self.env['runtime']['outputManager'].presentText(_('{0} is not in the dictionary').format(currWord,), soundIcon='Cancel', interrupt=True)                
diff --git a/src/fenrirscreenreader/core/settingsManager.py b/src/fenrirscreenreader/core/settingsManager.py
index 1d9da482..35567a53 100644
--- a/src/fenrirscreenreader/core/settingsManager.py
+++ b/src/fenrirscreenreader/core/settingsManager.py
@@ -422,11 +422,11 @@ class settingsManager():
         environment['runtime']['inputManager'].writeEventBuffer()
         environment['runtime']['inputManager'].handleDeviceGrab(force = True)
 
-        environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut('\/-------environment-------\/',debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
+        environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut(r'/-------environment-------/',debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
         environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut(str(environment), debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
-        environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut('\/-------settings.conf-------\/', debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
+        environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut(r'/-------settings.conf-------/', debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
         environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut(str(environment['settings']._sections) , debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
-        environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut('\/-------self.settingArgDict-------\/',debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
+        environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut(r'/-------self.settingArgDict-------/',debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
         environment['runtime']['debug'].writeDebugOut(str( self.settingArgDict) ,debug.debugLevel.INFO, onAnyLevel=True)
         self.bindingsBackup = environment['bindings'].copy()