diff --git a/e107_admin/emoticon.php b/e107_admin/emoticon.php
index c5c446564..90fb5720c 100644
--- a/e107_admin/emoticon.php
+++ b/e107_admin/emoticon.php
@@ -28,12 +28,7 @@ require_once("auth.php");
 
 $mes = e107::getMessage();
 
-if(!$sql->db_Count("core", "(*)", "WHERE e107_name = 'emote_default' AND e107_value !='' "))
-{	// Set up the default emotes
-//	$tmp = 'a:28:{s:9:"alien!png";s:6:"!alien";s:10:"amazed!png";s:7:"!amazed";s:9:"angry!png";s:11:"!grr !angry";s:12:"biglaugh!png";s:4:"!lol";s:11:"cheesey!png";s:10:":D :oD :-D";s:12:"confused!png";s:10:":? :o? :-?";s:7:"cry!png";s:19:"&| &-| &o| :(( !cry";s:8:"dead!png";s:21:"x) xo) x-) x( xo( x-(";s:9:"dodge!png";s:6:"!dodge";s:9:"frown!png";s:10:":( :o( :-(";s:7:"gah!png";s:10:":@ :o@ :o@";s:8:"grin!png";s:10:":D :oD :-D";s:9:"heart!png";s:6:"!heart";s:8:"idea!png";s:10:":! :o! :-!";s:7:"ill!png";s:4:"!ill";s:7:"mad!png";s:13:"~:( ~:o( ~:-(";s:12:"mistrust!png";s:9:"!mistrust";s:11:"neutral!png";s:10:":| :o| :-|";s:12:"question!png";s:2:"?!";s:12:"rolleyes!png";s:10:"B) Bo) B-)";s:7:"sad!png";s:4:"!sad";s:10:"shades!png";s:10:"8) 8o) 8-)";s:7:"shy!png";s:4:"!shy";s:9:"smile!png";s:10:":) :o) :-)";s:11:"special!png";s:3:"%-6";s:12:"suprised!png";s:10:":O :oO :-O";s:10:"tongue!png";s:21:":p :op :-p :P :oP :-P";s:8:"wink!png";s:10:";) ;o) ;-)";}';
-//	$insert = array("e107_name"=>"emote_default", "e107_value"=>$tmp);
-//	$sql->db_Replace("core", $insert);
-}
+
 
 
 // Change the active emote pack
@@ -41,9 +36,9 @@ if (isset($_POST['active']))
 {
 	if ($pref['smiley_activate'] != $_POST['smiley_activate'])
 	{
-		$pref['smiley_activate'] = $_POST['smiley_activate'];
+		$pref['smiley_activate'] = (int) $_POST['smiley_activate'];
 		e107::getLog()->add($pref['smiley_activate'] ? 'EMOTE_02' : 'EMOTE_03', $pref['emotepack'], E_LOG_INFORMATIVE, '');
-		save_prefs();
+		e107::getConfig()->set('smiley_activate',$pref['smiley_activate'])->save(true,true,true);
 		$update = true;
 
 	}
@@ -57,7 +52,7 @@ if (isset($_POST['active']))
 //e107::getRender()->tablerender($caption, $mes->render() . $text);
 
 /* get packs */
-require_once(e_HANDLER."file_class.php");
+
 $fl = e107::getFile();
 $emote = new emotec;
 $one_pack = FALSE;
@@ -82,15 +77,7 @@ foreach($filtered as $key => $value)
 
 	if(strstr($key, "defPack_"))
 	{
-		$pref['emotepack'] = str_replace("defPack_", "", $key);
-		if(save_prefs())
-		{
-			$mes->addSuccess(LAN_UPDATED);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			$mes->addInfo(LAN_NO_CHANGE);
-		}
+		e107::getConfig()->set('emotepack', str_replace("defPack_", "", $key))->save(true,true,true);
 		e107::getLog()->add('EMOTE_01', $pref['emotepack'], E_LOG_INFORMATIVE, '');
 		break;
 	}
@@ -390,7 +377,10 @@ class emotec
 			$f_string .= "<emoticon file=\"{$ename}\">\n";
 			foreach (explode(' ',$tp -> toForm($emotecode[$evalue])) as $v)
 			{
-				if (trim($v)) $f_string .= "\t<string>{$v}</string>\n";
+				if (trim($v))
+				{
+					 $f_string .= "\t<string>".htmlentities($v)."</string>\n";
+				}
 			}
 			$f_string .= "</emoticon>\n";
 		}
@@ -425,7 +415,7 @@ class emotec
 	//	$tmp = addslashes(serialize($encoded_emotes));
 		$tmp = e107::getArrayStorage()->WriteArray($encoded_emotes);
 
-		if ($sql->db_Select("core", "*", "e107_name='emote_".$packID."'"))
+		if ($sql->select("core", "*", "e107_name='emote_".$packID."'"))
 		{
 			e107::getMessage()->addAuto($sql->update("core", "`e107_value`='{$tmp}' WHERE `e107_name`='emote_".$packID."' "), 'update', LAN_SETSAVED, false, false);
 		}
@@ -475,7 +465,7 @@ class emotec
 				unset($pack_local[$value]);
 			}
 
-			if (($do_one == $value) || !$do_one &&  (!$sql -> db_Select("core", "*", "e107_name='emote_".$value."' ")))
+			if (($do_one == $value) || !$do_one &&  (!$sql->select("core", "*", "e107_name='emote_".$value."' ")))
 			{  // Pack info not in DB, or to be re-scanned
 			  $no_error = TRUE;
 			  $File_type = EMOLAN_32.":";
diff --git a/e107_images/emotes/default/emoticons.xml b/e107_images/emotes/default/emoticons.xml
index 858c3dcf3..7c3d95623 100644
--- a/e107_images/emotes/default/emoticons.xml
+++ b/e107_images/emotes/default/emoticons.xml
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
 	<string>:-?</string>
 </emoticon>
 <emoticon file="cry">
-	<string>&|</string>
-	<string>&-|</string>
-	<string>&o|</string>
+	<string>&amp;|</string>
+	<string>&amp;-|</string>
+	<string>&amp;o|</string>
 	<string>:((</string>
 	<string>!cry</string>
 </emoticon>