diff --git a/femto.tal b/femto.tal
index ea6be2c..f1724cd 100644
--- a/femto.tal
+++ b/femto.tal
@@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@
         !abs-line
 
 @draw-regex-matches ( -> )
-    emit-color-reverse-bold ( )
+    emit-color-reverse ( )
     screen-limit .buffer/offset LDZ2 ( limit pos )
     &loop ( limit pos )
         GTH2k #00 EQU ( limit pos limit>pos=0? )
@@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@
     ( return if not searching )
     .searching/active LDZ #00 EQU ?&return ( )
     .searching/regex LDZ2 ORA ?draw-regex-matches
-    emit-color-reverse-bold
+    emit-color-reverse
     lmargin ,&x STR2 #0000 ,&y STR2 ( x <- 0, y <- 0 )
     .buffer/offset LDZ2 DUP2
     screen-limit SUB2 STH2 ( offset [-count] )
diff --git a/regex.tal b/regex.tal
index 6a124d3..136524a 100644
--- a/regex.tal
+++ b/regex.tal
@@ -80,10 +80,7 @@
 ( 4. we also need to store "last started subgroup" on the stack    )
 ( 5. when backtracking we must rewind to "last started" subgroup   )
 
-%debug { #ff #0e DEO }
 %emit! { #18 DEO }
-%space { #20 emit! }
-%newline { #0a emit! }
 
 ( now that uxnasm throws errors about writing into the zero page   )
 ( we have to do something like this to be able to compile library  )
@@ -98,10 +95,10 @@
 ( using error! will print the given message before causing )
 ( the interpreter to halt. )
 @errorm ( msg* -> )
-    LIT "! emit! space
+    LIT "! emit! #20 emit!
     &loop LDAk #00 EQU ?&done
           LDAk emit! INC2 !&loop
-    &done POP2 newline #ff0e DEO #010f DEO BRK
+    &done POP2 #0a emit! #ff0e DEO #010f DEO BRK
 
 ( error messages )
 @unknown-node-type "unknown 20 "node 20 "type 00