diff --git a/novelwriter/common.py b/novelwriter/common.py
index 181a79a1..44463ca6 100644
--- a/novelwriter/common.py
+++ b/novelwriter/common.py
@@ -279,6 +279,16 @@ def simplified(text: str) -> str:
     return " ".join(str(text).strip().split())
 
 
+def compact(text: str) -> str:
+    """Compact a string by removing spaces."""
+    return "".join(str(text).split())
+
+
+def uniqueCompact(text: str) -> str:
+    """Return a unique, compact and sorted string."""
+    return "".join(sorted(set(compact(text))))
+
+
 def elide(text: str, length: int) -> str:
     """Elide a piece of text to a maximum length."""
     if len(text) > (cut := max(4, length)):
diff --git a/novelwriter/dialogs/preferences.py b/novelwriter/dialogs/preferences.py
index f433529e..519f6b73 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
+from novelwriter.common import describeFont, uniqueCompact
 from novelwriter.constants import nwUnicode
 from novelwriter.dialogs.quotes import GuiQuoteSelect
 from novelwriter.extensions.configlayout import NColourLabel, NScrollableForm
@@ -952,8 +952,8 @@ class GuiPreferences(NDialog):
         # Text Highlighting
         dialogueStyle   = self.dialogStyle.currentData()
         allowOpenDial   = self.allowOpenDial.isChecked()
-        narratorBreak   = self.narratorBreak.text()
-        dialogueLine    = self.dialogLine.text()
+        narratorBreak   = self.narratorBreak.text().strip()
+        dialogueLine    = self.dialogLine.text().strip()
         altDialogOpen   = self.altDialogOpen.text()
         altDialogClose  = self.altDialogClose.text()
         highlightEmph   = self.highlightEmph.isChecked()
@@ -983,8 +983,8 @@ class GuiPreferences(NDialog):
         CONFIG.doReplaceDQuote = self.doReplaceDQuote.isChecked()
         CONFIG.doReplaceDash   = self.doReplaceDash.isChecked()
         CONFIG.doReplaceDots   = self.doReplaceDots.isChecked()
-        CONFIG.fmtPadBefore    = self.fmtPadBefore.text().strip()
-        CONFIG.fmtPadAfter     = self.fmtPadAfter.text().strip()
+        CONFIG.fmtPadBefore    = uniqueCompact(self.fmtPadBefore.text())
+        CONFIG.fmtPadAfter     = uniqueCompact(self.fmtPadAfter.text())
         CONFIG.fmtPadThin      = self.fmtPadThin.isChecked()
 
         # Quotation Style
diff --git a/tests/test_base/test_base_common.py b/tests/test_base/test_base_common.py
index b46007b5..faf48dd3 100644
--- a/tests/test_base/test_base_common.py
+++ b/tests/test_base/test_base_common.py
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ from PyQt5.QtGui import QColor, QDesktopServices, QFontDatabase
 
 from novelwriter.common import (
     NWConfigParser, checkBool, checkFloat, checkInt, checkIntTuple, checkPath,
-    checkString, checkStringNone, checkUuid, cssCol, describeFont, elide,
-    formatFileFilter, formatInt, formatTime, formatTimeStamp, formatVersion,
-    fuzzyTime, getFileSize, hexToInt, isHandle, isItemClass, isItemLayout,
-    isItemType, isListInstance, isTitleTag, jsonEncode, makeFileNameSafe,
-    minmax, numberToRoman, openExternalPath, readTextFile, simplified,
-    transferCase, xmlIndent, yesNo
+    checkString, checkStringNone, checkUuid, compact, cssCol, describeFont,
+    elide, formatFileFilter, formatInt, formatTime, formatTimeStamp,
+    formatVersion, fuzzyTime, getFileSize, hexToInt, isHandle, isItemClass,
+    isItemLayout, isItemType, isListInstance, isTitleTag, jsonEncode,
+    makeFileNameSafe, minmax, numberToRoman, openExternalPath, readTextFile,
+    simplified, transferCase, uniqueCompact, xmlIndent, yesNo
 )
 
 from tests.mocked import causeOSError
@@ -346,6 +346,27 @@ def testBaseCommon_simplified():
     assert simplified("\tHello\n\r\tWorld") == "Hello World"
 
 
+@pytest.mark.base
+def testBaseCommon_compact():
+    """Test the compact function."""
+    assert compact("! ! !") == "!!!"
+    assert compact("1\t2\t3") == "123"
+    assert compact("1\n2\n3") == "123"
+    assert compact("1\r2\r3") == "123"
+    assert compact("1\u00a02\u00a03") == "123"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.base
+def testBaseCommon_uniqueCompact():
+    """Test the uniqueCompact function."""
+    assert uniqueCompact("! ! !") == "!"
+    assert uniqueCompact("1\t2\t3") == "123"
+    assert uniqueCompact("1\n2\n3") == "123"
+    assert uniqueCompact("1\r2\r3") == "123"
+    assert uniqueCompact("1\u00a02\u00a03") == "123"
+    assert uniqueCompact("3 2 1") == "123"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.base
 def testBaseCommon_elide():
     """Test the elide function."""
diff --git a/tests/test_dialogs/test_dlg_preferences.py b/tests/test_dialogs/test_dlg_preferences.py
index 1d186d83..036621df 100644
--- a/tests/test_dialogs/test_dlg_preferences.py
+++ b/tests/test_dialogs/test_dlg_preferences.py
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ def testDlgPreferences_Settings(qtbot, monkeypatch, nwGUI, tstPaths):
     assert CONFIG.doReplaceDQuote is False
     assert CONFIG.doReplaceDash is False
     assert CONFIG.doReplaceDots is False
-    assert CONFIG.fmtPadBefore == "!?:"
+    assert CONFIG.fmtPadBefore == "!:?"
     assert CONFIG.fmtPadAfter == "¡¿"
     assert CONFIG.fmtPadThin is True