diff --git a/data/dconf.settings b/data/dconf.settings
index 0c6bf11..ef613f6 100644
--- a/data/dconf.settings
+++ b/data/dconf.settings
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ locations=[<(uint32 2, <('Gdańsk', 'EPGD', true, [(0.94916821905848536, 0.32230
 region='en_US.UTF-8'
 
 [issue28/desktop/ibus/panel/emoji]
-favorites=['\8211', '\8594', '\8593', '\8595', '\8482', '\\u00ad', '\176', '\\v', '\160', '\171', '\8451']
+favorites=['–', '→', '↑', '↓', '™', '\u00ad', '°', '\v', ' ', '«', '℃']
 
 [issue28/org/gnome/desktop/input-sources]
 mru-sources=[('xkb', 'us+altgr-intl'), ('ibus', 'mozc-jp')]
diff --git a/data/unicode.settings b/data/unicode.settings
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4253ab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/unicode.settings
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[org/gnome/font-manager]
+compare-preview-text='🤣'
+preview-text='příliš žluťoučký kůň úpěl ďábelské ódy\nprilis zlutoucky kun upel dabelske ody\n◌̍◌̍ff̍ ̍čěů\n◌̎\n'
diff --git a/output/dconf.nix b/output/dconf.nix
index a323cff..3a5fac5 100644
--- a/output/dconf.nix
+++ b/output/dconf.nix
@@ -361,12 +361,12 @@ with lib.hm.gvariant;
     };
 
     "org/gnome/Weather" = {
-      locations = [ (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gda\324sk" "EPGD" true [ (mkTuple [ 0.9491682190584854 0.3223041410193837 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.9485864484589182 0.32579479952337237 ]) ] ]) ]) (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdynia, Dzia\322dowo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship" "" false [ (mkTuple [ 0.9302794944578734 0.34699627038777753 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.938610530426954 0.3574455077502486 ]) ] ]) ]) (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdynia, Pomeranian Voivodeship" "" false [ (mkTuple [ 0.9514923902475622 0.3235888220312407 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.9485864484589182 0.32579479952337237 ]) ] ]) ]) ];
+      locations = [ (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdańsk" "EPGD" true [ (mkTuple [ 0.9491682190584854 0.3223041410193837 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.9485864484589182 0.32579479952337237 ]) ] ]) ]) (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdynia, Działdowo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship" "" false [ (mkTuple [ 0.9302794944578734 0.34699627038777753 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.938610530426954 0.3574455077502486 ]) ] ]) ]) (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdynia, Pomeranian Voivodeship" "" false [ (mkTuple [ 0.9514923902475622 0.3235888220312407 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.9485864484589182 0.32579479952337237 ]) ] ]) ]) ];
     };
 
     "org/gnome/shell/weather" = {
       automatic-location = true;
-      locations = [ (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gda\324sk" "EPGD" true [ (mkTuple [ 0.9491682190584854 0.3223041410193837 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.9485864484589182 0.32579479952337237 ]) ] ]) ]) (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdynia, Dzia\322dowo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship" "" false [ (mkTuple [ 0.9302794944578734 0.34699627038777753 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.938610530426954 0.3574455077502486 ]) ] ]) ]) (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdynia, Pomeranian Voivodeship" "" false [ (mkTuple [ 0.9514923902475622 0.3235888220312407 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.9485864484589182 0.32579479952337237 ]) ] ]) ]) ];
+      locations = [ (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdańsk" "EPGD" true [ (mkTuple [ 0.9491682190584854 0.3223041410193837 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.9485864484589182 0.32579479952337237 ]) ] ]) ]) (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdynia, Działdowo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship" "" false [ (mkTuple [ 0.9302794944578734 0.34699627038777753 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.938610530426954 0.3574455077502486 ]) ] ]) ]) (mkVariant [ (mkUint32 2) (mkVariant [ "Gdynia, Pomeranian Voivodeship" "" false [ (mkTuple [ 0.9514923902475622 0.3235888220312407 ]) ] [ (mkTuple [ 0.9485864484589182 0.32579479952337237 ]) ] ]) ]) ];
     };
 
     "system/locale" = {
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ with lib.hm.gvariant;
     };
 
     "issue28/desktop/ibus/panel/emoji" = {
-      favorites = [ "\137" "\396" "\395" "\397" "\322" "\\u00ad" "\176" "\\v" "\160" "\171" "\297" ];
+      favorites = [ "–" "→" "↑" "↓" "™" "­" "°" "" " " "«" "℃" ];
     };
 
     "issue28/org/gnome/desktop/input-sources" = {
diff --git a/output/unicode.nix b/output/unicode.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c02bad4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/output/unicode.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# Generated via dconf2nix: https://github.com/gvolpe/dconf2nix
+{ lib, ... }:
+
+with lib.hm.gvariant;
+
+{
+  dconf.settings = {
+    "org/gnome/font-manager" = {
+      compare-preview-text = "🤣";
+      preview-text = "příliš žluťoučký kůň úpěl ďábelské ódy\nprilis zlutoucky kun upel dabelske ody\n◌̍◌̍ff̍ ̍čěů\n◌̎\n";
+    };
+
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/DConf.hs b/src/DConf.hs
index 575b7bd..3aed737 100644
--- a/src/DConf.hs
+++ b/src/DConf.hs
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ module DConf
   )
 where
 
+import           Control.Monad                  ( replicateM )
+import           Data.Ix                        ( inRange )
 import qualified Data.Map                      as Map
+import           Data.Maybe                     ( catMaybes )
 import           Data.Text                      ( Text )
 import qualified Data.Text                     as T
 import           DConf.Data
@@ -66,24 +69,43 @@ vString = T.pack <$> (single <|> double)
  where
   single = bracket "'" "'" $ inputs "'"
   double = bracket "\"" "\"" $ inputs "\""
+
   lchar :: [Char] -> Parsec Text () Char
-  lchar extra = charExcept $ "\r\n" <> extra
-  octal = do
-    isOctal <- optionMaybe $ char '8'
-    let
-      base = case isOctal of
-        Just _ -> 8
-        Nothing -> 10
-    a <- digit
-    b <- digit
-    c <- digit
-    return $ chr $ (digitToInt a * base * base) + (digitToInt b * base) + digitToInt c
-  qchar :: Parsec Text () Char
+  lchar extra = charExcept $ "\r\n\\" <> extra
+
+  fromHexDigit :: Char -> Int
+  fromHexDigit n | inRange ('A', 'F') n = ord n - ord 'A' + 0xA
+  fromHexDigit n | inRange ('a', 'f') n = ord n - ord 'a' + 0xA
+  fromHexDigit n | inRange ('0', '9') n = ord n - ord '0'
+  fromHexDigit n = error $ "Expected a hexadecimal digit, '" ++ n : "' given"
+
+  hexNum :: Int -> Parsec Text () Int
+  hexNum l = do
+    digits <- replicateM l (fromHexDigit <$> hexDigit)
+    return $ foldl (\acc d -> 16 * acc + d) 0 digits
+
+  qchar :: Parsec Text () (Maybe Char)
   qchar = do
     _ <- char '\\'
-    octal <|> anyChar
+    (
+      -- Unicode escapes of the form `\uxxxx` and `\Uxxxxxxxx` are supported, in hexadecimal.
+      (char 'u' *> (Just <$> (chr <$> hexNum 4)))
+      <|> (char 'U' *> (Just <$> (chr <$> hexNum 8)))
+      -- The usual control sequence escapes `\a`, `\b`, `\f`, `\n`, `\r`, `\t` and `\v` are supported.
+      <|> (char 'a' *> pure (Just '\a'))
+      <|> (char 'b' *> pure (Just '\b'))
+      <|> (char 'f' *> pure (Just '\f'))
+      <|> (char 'n' *> pure (Just '\n'))
+      <|> (char 'r' *> pure (Just '\r'))
+      <|> (char 't' *> pure (Just '\t'))
+      <|> (char 'v' *> pure (Just '\v'))
+      -- Additionally, a `\` before a newline character causes the newline to be ignored.
+      <|> (char '\n' *> pure Nothing)
+      -- Finally, any other character following `\` is copied literally (for example, `\"` or `\\`)
+      <|> (Just <$> anyChar))
+
   inputs :: [Char] -> Parsec Text () String
-  inputs extra = many $ qchar <|> lchar extra
+  inputs extra = catMaybes <$> (many $ qchar <|> (Just <$> lchar extra))
 
 value :: Parsec Text () Value
 value = choice
diff --git a/src/Nix.hs b/src/Nix.hs
index 5362167..2253141 100644
--- a/src/Nix.hs
+++ b/src/Nix.hs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ module Nix
   )
 where
 
+import           Data.Function                  ( (&) )
 import qualified Data.Map                      as Map
 import qualified Data.Text                     as T
 import           DConf.Data
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ renderValue raw = Nix $ renderValue' raw <> ";"
   renderList xs = let
     in "[ " <> T.intercalate " " (renderItem <$> xs) <> " ]"
 
-  renderValue' (S   v) = T.pack $ show v
+  renderValue' (S   v) = renderString v
   renderValue' (B   v) = T.toLower . T.pack $ show v
   renderValue' (I   v) = T.pack $ show v
   renderValue' (D   v) = T.pack $ show v
@@ -81,3 +82,13 @@ renderValue raw = Nix $ renderValue' raw <> ";"
     "''\n" <> mkSpaces 8 <> T.strip v <> "\n" <> mkSpaces 6 <> "''"
   renderValue' (R kvs) =
     "{\n" <> mconcat (fmap (\(k,v) -> mkSpaces 8 <> k <> " = " <> renderValue' v <> ";\n") kvs) <> mkSpaces 6 <> "}"
+
+renderString :: T.Text -> T.Text
+renderString text = "\"" <> escaped <> "\""
+  where
+    escaped =
+      text
+        & T.replace "\\" "\\\\"
+        & T.replace "\n" "\\n"
+        & T.replace "$" "\\$"
+        & T.replace "\"" "\\\""
diff --git a/test/DConf2NixTest.hs b/test/DConf2NixTest.hs
index 5bb7eb7..d784dba 100644
--- a/test/DConf2NixTest.hs
+++ b/test/DConf2NixTest.hs
@@ -140,6 +140,17 @@ prop_dconf2nix_tuples :: Property
 prop_dconf2nix_tuples =
   withTests (10 :: TestLimit) dconf2nixTuples
 
+dconf2nixUnicode :: Property
+dconf2nixUnicode =
+  let input  = "data/unicode.settings"
+      output = "output/unicode.nix"
+      root   = Root T.empty
+  in  baseProperty input output root
+
+prop_dconf2nix_unicode :: Property
+prop_dconf2nix_unicode =
+  withTests (10 :: TestLimit) dconf2nixUnicode
+
 dconf2nixEmoji :: Property
 dconf2nixEmoji =
   let input  = "data/emoji.settings"