diff --git a/spec/MName/MName_spec.lua b/spec/MName/MName_spec.lua
index 25c26e9a7..1761bc7d4 100644
--- a/spec/MName/MName_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/MName/MName_spec.lua
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ local posix     = require("posix")
 
 require("strict")
 require("utils")
+require("string_utils")
 initialize_lmod()
 require("fileOps")
 
@@ -75,13 +76,14 @@ describe("Testing MName Class #MName.",
                        action = "match", fn = "%ProjDir%/spec/MName/mf/mpi/impi/64/5.0.3/048"},
                   }
 
+                  local projDirE = projDir:escape()
                   for i = 1, #goldA do
                      local gold     = goldA[i]
                      dbg.print{"RTM MName:new(\"load\", ",gold.value,",", gold.action,")\n"}
                      local mname    = MName:new("load", gold.value, gold.action)
                      dbg.print{"RTM MName:sn()\n"}
                      local sn       = mname:sn()
-                     local fn       = (mname:fn() or ""):gsub(projDir,"%%ProjDir%%")
+                     local fn       = (mname:fn() or ""):gsub(projDirE,"%%ProjDir%%")
                      local version  = mname:version()
                      dbg.print{"RTM MName:fullName()\n"}
                      local fullName = mname:fullName()
@@ -116,7 +118,7 @@ describe("Testing MName Class #MName.",
                      local gold     = goldA[i]
                      local mname    = MName:new("load", gold.value, gold.action, gold.is, gold.ie)
                      local sn       = mname:sn()
-                     local fn       = (mname:fn() or ""):gsub(projDir,"%%ProjDir%%")
+                     local fn       = (mname:fn() or ""):gsub(projDirE,"%%ProjDir%%")
                      local version  = mname:version()
                      local fullName = mname:fullName()
                      local g_full   = build_fullName(gold.sn, gold.version)
@@ -154,11 +156,12 @@ describe("Testing MName Class #MName.",
                        fn = "%ProjDir%/spec/MName/nv/bio/bt/3.9"},
                   }
 
+                  local projDirE = projDir:escape()
                   for i = 1, #goldA do
                      local gold     = goldA[i]
                      local mname    = MName:new("load", gold.value, gold.action)
                      local sn       = mname:sn()
-                     local fn       = (mname:fn() or ""):gsub(projDir,"%%ProjDir%%")
+                     local fn       = (mname:fn() or ""):gsub(projDirE,"%%ProjDir%%")
                      local version  = mname:version()
                      local fullName = mname:fullName()
                      local g_full   = build_fullName(gold.sn ,gold.version)
@@ -179,7 +182,7 @@ describe("Testing MName Class #MName.",
                      local gold     = goldA[i]
                      local mname    = MName:new("load", gold.value, gold.action, gold.is, gold.ie)
                      local sn       = mname:sn()
-                     local fn       = (mname:fn() or ""):gsub(projDir,"%%ProjDir%%")
+                     local fn       = (mname:fn() or ""):gsub(projDirE,"%%ProjDir%%")
                      local version  = mname:version()
                      local fullName = mname:fullName()
                      local g_full   = build_fullName(gold.sn, gold.version)
diff --git a/src/utils.lua b/src/utils.lua
index 0c314ea97..35bd27d55 100644
--- a/src/utils.lua
+++ b/src/utils.lua
@@ -643,15 +643,12 @@ function regular_cmp(x,y)
 end
 
 
-
-
-
-function sanizatizeTbl(rplmntA, inT, outT)
+local function l_sanizatizeTbl(replaceA, inT, outT)
    for k, v in pairs(inT) do
       local key = k
       if (type(k) == "string") then
-         for i = 1, #rplmntA do
-            local p  = rplmntA[i]
+         for i = 1, #replaceA do
+            local p  = replaceA[i]
             local s1 = p[1]
             local s2 = p[2]
             key = key:gsub(s1,s2)
@@ -662,11 +659,11 @@ function sanizatizeTbl(rplmntA, inT, outT)
          outT[key] = nil
       elseif (type(v) == "table") then
          outT[key] = {}
-         sanizatizeTbl(rplmntA, v, outT[key])
+         l_sanizatizeTbl(replaceA, v, outT[key])
          v = outT[key]
       elseif (type(v) == "string") then
-         for i = 1,#rplmntA do
-            local p  = rplmntA[i]
+         for i = 1,#replaceA do
+            local p  = replaceA[i]
             local s1 = p[1]
             local s2 = p[2]
             v = v:gsub(s1,s2)
@@ -679,6 +676,17 @@ function sanizatizeTbl(rplmntA, inT, outT)
    end
 end
 
+function sanizatizeTbl(rplmntA, inT, outT)
+   local replaceA = {}
+   for i = 1,#rplmntA do
+      local p = rplmntA[i]
+      replaceA[i] = { p[1]:escape(), p[2]}
+   end
+   
+   l_sanizatizeTbl(replaceA, inT, outT)
+end
+
+
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -- Push the Lmod Version into the environment
 function setenv_lmod_version()