diff --git a/utils/themeeditor/skin_parser.c b/utils/themeeditor/skin_parser.c
index 6902679bc1..860970b7e7 100644
--- a/utils/themeeditor/skin_parser.c
+++ b/utils/themeeditor/skin_parser.c
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ struct skin_element* skin_parse_line_optional(char** document, int conditional)
             if(!skin_parse_conditional(current, &cursor))
                 return NULL;
         }
-        else if(*cursor == TAGSYM)
+        else if(*cursor == TAGSYM && !find_escape_character(cursor[1]))
         {
             if(!skin_parse_tag(current, &cursor))
                 return NULL;
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ int skin_parse_tag(struct skin_element* element, char** document)
     }
 
     /* Checking for a premature end */
-    if(*tag_args != '\0' && !(optional && !star))
+    if(*tag_args != '\0' && !optional)
     {
         skin_error(INSUFFICIENT_ARGS);
         return 0;
diff --git a/utils/themeeditor/skin_scan.c b/utils/themeeditor/skin_scan.c
index 37c948fb3c..28d097125a 100644
--- a/utils/themeeditor/skin_scan.c
+++ b/utils/themeeditor/skin_scan.c
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ char* scan_string(char** document)
             continue;
         }
 
+        if(*cursor == TAGSYM)
+            cursor++;
+
         if(*cursor == '\n')
         {
             skin_error(UNEXPECTED_NEWLINE);
@@ -77,6 +80,9 @@ char* scan_string(char** document)
     buffer[length] = '\0';
     for(i = 0; i < length; i++)
     {
+        if(*cursor == TAGSYM)
+            cursor++;
+
         if(*cursor == COMMENTSYM)
         {
             skip_comment(&cursor);
diff --git a/utils/themeeditor/tag_table.c b/utils/themeeditor/tag_table.c
index 74eb6cbe26..6ec33023c2 100644
--- a/utils/themeeditor/tag_table.c
+++ b/utils/themeeditor/tag_table.c
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ int find_escape_character(char lookup)
     while(*current != lookup && *current != '\0')
         current++;
 
-    if(*current == lookup)
+    if(*current == lookup && *current)
         return 1;
     else
         return 0;