diff --git a/novelwriter/dialogs/preferences.py b/novelwriter/dialogs/preferences.py
index 9dfdc05f..6723cd4a 100644
--- a/novelwriter/dialogs/preferences.py
+++ b/novelwriter/dialogs/preferences.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ from PyQt5.QtWidgets import (
 )
 
 from novelwriter import CONFIG, SHARED
-from novelwriter.common import describeFont, uniqueCompact
+from novelwriter.common import compact, describeFont, uniqueCompact
 from novelwriter.constants import nwUnicode
 from novelwriter.dialogs.quotes import GuiQuoteSelect
 from novelwriter.extensions.configlayout import NColourLabel, NScrollableForm
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class GuiPreferences(NDialog):
         """Build the settings form."""
         section = 0
         iSz = SHARED.theme.baseIconSize
-        boxFixed = 5*SHARED.theme.textNWidth
+        boxFixed = 6*SHARED.theme.textNWidth
         minWidth = CONFIG.pxInt(200)
         fontWidth = CONFIG.pxInt(162)
 
@@ -568,13 +568,13 @@ class GuiPreferences(NDialog):
         )
 
         self.dialogLine = QLineEdit(self)
-        self.dialogLine.setMaxLength(1)
+        self.dialogLine.setMaxLength(4)
         self.dialogLine.setFixedWidth(boxFixed)
         self.dialogLine.setAlignment(QtAlignCenter)
         self.dialogLine.setText(CONFIG.dialogLine)
         self.mainForm.addRow(
-            self.tr("Dialogue line symbol"), self.dialogLine,
-            self.tr("Lines starting with this symbol are dialogue.")
+            self.tr("Dialogue line symbols"), self.dialogLine,
+            self.tr("Lines starting with these symbols are always dialogue.")
         )
 
         self.narratorBreak = QLineEdit(self)
@@ -953,9 +953,9 @@ class GuiPreferences(NDialog):
         dialogueStyle   = self.dialogStyle.currentData()
         allowOpenDial   = self.allowOpenDial.isChecked()
         narratorBreak   = self.narratorBreak.text().strip()
-        dialogueLine    = self.dialogLine.text().strip()
-        altDialogOpen   = self.altDialogOpen.text()
-        altDialogClose  = self.altDialogClose.text()
+        dialogueLine    = uniqueCompact(self.dialogLine.text())
+        altDialogOpen   = compact(self.altDialogOpen.text())
+        altDialogClose  = compact(self.altDialogClose.text())
         highlightEmph   = self.highlightEmph.isChecked()
         showMultiSpaces = self.showMultiSpaces.isChecked()
 
diff --git a/novelwriter/text/patterns.py b/novelwriter/text/patterns.py
index e09bd883..aa4468ae 100644
--- a/novelwriter/text/patterns.py
+++ b/novelwriter/text/patterns.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import re
 
 from novelwriter import CONFIG
+from novelwriter.common import compact, uniqueCompact
 from novelwriter.constants import nwRegEx
 
 
@@ -88,11 +89,11 @@ class RegExPatterns:
             symO = ""
             symC = ""
             if CONFIG.dialogStyle in (1, 3):
-                symO += CONFIG.fmtSQuoteOpen
-                symC += CONFIG.fmtSQuoteClose
+                symO += CONFIG.fmtSQuoteOpen.strip()[:1]
+                symC += CONFIG.fmtSQuoteClose.strip()[:1]
             if CONFIG.dialogStyle in (2, 3):
-                symO += CONFIG.fmtDQuoteOpen
-                symC += CONFIG.fmtDQuoteClose
+                symO += CONFIG.fmtDQuoteOpen.strip()[:1]
+                symC += CONFIG.fmtDQuoteClose.strip()[:1]
 
             rxEnd = "|$" if CONFIG.allowOpenDial else ""
             return re.compile(f"\\B[{symO}].*?(?:[{symC}]\\B{rxEnd})", re.UNICODE)
@@ -102,8 +103,8 @@ class RegExPatterns:
     def altDialogStyle(self) -> re.Pattern | None:
         """Dialogue alternative rule based on user settings."""
         if CONFIG.altDialogOpen and CONFIG.altDialogClose:
-            symO = re.escape(CONFIG.altDialogOpen)
-            symC = re.escape(CONFIG.altDialogClose)
+            symO = re.escape(compact(CONFIG.altDialogOpen))
+            symC = re.escape(compact(CONFIG.altDialogClose))
             return re.compile(f"\\B{symO}.*?{symC}\\B", re.UNICODE)
         return None
 
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ class DialogParser:
         """Init parser settings. Must be called when config changes."""
         punct = re.escape("!?.,:;")
         self._quotes = REGEX_PATTERNS.dialogStyle
-        self._dialog = CONFIG.dialogLine
+        self._dialog = uniqueCompact(CONFIG.dialogLine)
         self._narrator = CONFIG.narratorBreak.strip()[:1]
         self._break = re.compile(
             f"({self._narrator}\\s?.*?\\s?(?:{self._narrator}[{punct}]?|$))", re.UNICODE