diff --git a/examples/show_lines.sh b/examples/show_lines.sh
index 83c82c8..aa52d8a 100755
--- a/examples/show_lines.sh
+++ b/examples/show_lines.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ while printf ''; do
 		{"text":"json object"}, 
 		{"text":"json with urgent flag", "urgent":true},
 		{"text":"json with highlight flag", "highlight": true},
+        {"text":"multi-byte unicode: •"},
 		{"text":"json <i>with</i> <b>markup</b> <b><i>flag</i></b>", "markup": true},
 		{"text":"json <i>toggling</i> <b>markup</b> flag", "markup": $toggleMarkup},
 		{"text":"json <i>without</i> <b>markup</b> <b><i>flag</i></b>", "markup": false},
@@ -29,4 +30,4 @@ EOF
  	sleep 1;
  	if [ "$toggleMarkup" = "true" ]; then toggleMarkup="false"; else toggleMarkup="true"; fi
 
-done | rofi -modi blocks -show blocks "$@"
\ No newline at end of file
+done | rofi -modi blocks -show blocks "$@" 
diff --git a/src/blocks.c b/src/blocks.c
index f23e5d6..f5821d2 100644
--- a/src/blocks.c
+++ b/src/blocks.c
@@ -146,6 +146,45 @@ typedef struct
   utils
 ***************/
 
+void json_escape(char *in, char *out) {
+    while (*in) {
+        switch (*in) {
+        case '\\':
+            *(out++) = '\\';
+            *(out++) = *in;
+            break;
+        case '"':
+            *(out++) = '\\';
+            *(out++) = '"';
+            break;
+        case '\t':
+            *(out++) = '\\';
+            *(out++) = 't';
+            break;
+        case '\r':
+            *(out++) = '\\';
+            *(out++) = 'r';
+            break;
+        case '\f':
+            *(out++) = '\\';
+            *(out++) = 'f';
+            break;
+        case '\b':
+            *(out++) = '\\';
+            *(out++) = 'b';
+            break;
+        case '\n':
+            *(out++) = '\\';
+            *(out++) = 'n';
+            break;
+        default:
+            *(out++) = *in;
+            break;
+        }
+        in++;
+    }
+}
+
 // Result is an allocated a new string
 char *str_replace(const char *orig, const char *rep, const char *with) {
     char *result; // the return string
@@ -199,7 +238,12 @@ char *str_replace_in(char **orig, const char *rep, const char *with) {
 }
 
 char *str_replace_in_escaped(char **orig, const char *rep, const char *with) {
-    const gchar * escaped_with = g_strescape(with, NULL);
+    int len = strlen(with);
+
+    gchar * escaped_with = NULL;
+    escaped_with = (char*)calloc(len*2, sizeof(gchar));
+
+    json_escape(with, escaped_with);
     char * result = str_replace_in(orig, rep, escaped_with);
     g_free((char *) escaped_with);
     return result;
@@ -460,12 +504,14 @@ static gboolean on_new_input ( GIOChannel *source, GIOCondition condition, gpoin
     gboolean newline = FALSE;
 
     GError * error = NULL;
-    gchar unichar;
-    gsize bytes_read;
+    gunichar unichar;
+    GIOStatus status;
+
+    status = g_io_channel_read_unichar(source, &unichar, &error);
 
-    g_io_channel_read_chars(source, &unichar, 1, &bytes_read, &error);
-    while(bytes_read > 0) {
-        g_string_append_c(buffer, unichar);
+    //when there is nothing to read, status is G_IO_STATUS_AGAIN
+    while(status == G_IO_STATUS_NORMAL) {
+        g_string_append_unichar(buffer, unichar);
         if( unichar == '\n' ){
             if(buffer->len > 1){ //input is not an empty line
                 g_debug("received new line: %s", buffer->str);
@@ -474,7 +520,7 @@ static gboolean on_new_input ( GIOChannel *source, GIOCondition condition, gpoin
             }
             g_string_set_size(buffer, 0);
         }
-        g_io_channel_read_chars(source, &unichar, 1, &bytes_read, &error);
+        status = g_io_channel_read_unichar(source, &unichar, &error);
     }
 
     if(newline){