diff --git a/backend_qt/qzint.cpp b/backend_qt/qzint.cpp
index cd2b8637..65527d02 100644
--- a/backend_qt/qzint.cpp
+++ b/backend_qt/qzint.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace Zint {
         m_bgColor = Qt::white;
         m_zintSymbol = 0;
         m_error = 0;
-        m_input_mode = UNICODE_MODE + ESCAPE_MODE;
+        m_input_mode = UNICODE_MODE;
         m_scale = 1.0;
         m_option_3 = 0;
         m_hidetext = 0;
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ namespace Zint {
         m_zintSymbol->whitespace_width = m_whitespace;
         m_zintSymbol->border_width = m_borderWidth;
         m_zintSymbol->option_1 = m_securityLevel;
-        m_zintSymbol->input_mode = m_input_mode;
+        m_zintSymbol->input_mode = m_input_mode + ESCAPE_MODE;
         m_zintSymbol->option_2 = m_width;
         m_zintSymbol->dot_size = m_dot_size;
         if (m_hidetext) {
diff --git a/frontend_qt/mainwindow.cpp b/frontend_qt/mainwindow.cpp
index ace69705..e8305bd4 100644
--- a/frontend_qt/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/frontend_qt/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -733,7 +733,7 @@ void MainWindow::update_preview()
 	}
 	m_bc.bc.setSecurityLevel(0);
 	m_bc.bc.setWidth(0);
-	m_bc.bc.setInputMode(UNICODE_MODE);
+	m_bc.bc.setInputMode(UNICODE_MODE + ESCAPE_MODE);
 	m_bc.bc.setHideText(0);
 	if(chkHRTHide->isChecked() == false) {
 		m_bc.bc.setHideText(1);
@@ -895,7 +895,7 @@ void MainWindow::update_preview()
 		case BARCODE_CODE16K:
 			m_bc.bc.setSymbol(BARCODE_CODE16K);
 			if(m_optionWidget->findChild<QRadioButton*>("radC16kStand")->isChecked())
-				m_bc.bc.setInputMode(UNICODE_MODE);
+				m_bc.bc.setInputMode(UNICODE_MODE + ESCAPE_MODE);
 			else
 				m_bc.bc.setInputMode(GS1_MODE);
 			break;