diff --git a/src/formatitko/html_generator.py b/src/formatitko/html_generator.py
index bc0535b..1c2ba68 100644
--- a/src/formatitko/html_generator.py
+++ b/src/formatitko/html_generator.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ from panflute import TableRow, TableCell, Caption, Doc
 from panflute import ListContainer, Element
 from typing import Union, Dict
 
-import re
 import os
 import io
 import warnings
@@ -33,12 +32,12 @@ class HTMLGenerator(OutputGenerator):
 		super().generate(e)
 
 	def escape_special_chars(self, text: str) -> str:
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"&"), "&", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"<"), "&lt;", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r">"), "&rt;", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"\""), "&quot;", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"'"), "&#39;", text)
-		# text = re.sub(re.compile(r" '), "&nbsp;", text) # Don't replace no-break spaces with HTML escapes, because we trust unicode?
+		text = text.replace("&", "&amp;")
+		text = text.replace("<", "&lt;")
+		text = text.replace(">", "&rt;")
+		text = text.replace("\"", "&quot;")
+		text = text.replace("'", "&#39;")
+		# text = text.replace(" ", "&nbsp;") # Don't replace no-break spaces with HTML escapes, because we trust unicode?
 		return text
 	
 	def stag(self, tag: str, attributes: Dict[str,str]={}) -> str:
diff --git a/src/formatitko/latex_generator.py b/src/formatitko/latex_generator.py
index a6adf85..026ef5e 100644
--- a/src/formatitko/latex_generator.py
+++ b/src/formatitko/latex_generator.py
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ from .context import Group
 from .output_generator import OutputGenerator
 from .images import ImageProcessor
 
-import re
-
 class LaTeXGenerator(OutputGenerator):
 	def __init__(self, output_file, imageProcessor: ImageProcessor, *args, **kwargs):
 		self.imageProcessor = imageProcessor
@@ -23,17 +21,17 @@ class LaTeXGenerator(OutputGenerator):
 		super().generate(e)
 
 	def escape_special_chars(self, text: str) -> str:
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"&"), "\\&", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"%"), "\\%", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"\$"), "\\$", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"#"), "\\#", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"_"), "\\_", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"\{"), "\\{", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"\}"), "\\}", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"~"), "\\textasciitilde{}", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"\^"), "\\textasciicircum{}", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r"\\"), "\\textbackslash{}", text)
-		text = re.sub(re.compile(r" "), "~", text) # We use unicode no-break spaces to force nbsp in output
+		text = text.replace("&", "\\&")
+		text = text.replace("%", "\\%")
+		text = text.replace("$", "\\$")
+		text = text.replace("#", "\\#")
+		text = text.replace("_", "\\_")
+		text = text.replace("{", "\\{")
+		text = text.replace("}", "\\}")
+		text = text.replace("~", "\\textasciitilde{}")
+		text = text.replace("^", "\\textasciicircum{}")
+		text = text.replace("\\", "\\textbackslash{}")
+		text = text.replace(" ", "~") # We use unicode no-break spaces to force nbsp in output
 		return text
 
 	def stag(self, tag: str, attributes: Dict[str,str]={}) -> str: