diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/base.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/base.vim
index ee21672..39ae7ff 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/base.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/base.vim
@@ -8,6 +8,13 @@ if exists("g:loaded_vimwiki_auto") || &cp
 endif
 let g:loaded_vimwiki_auto = 1
 
+" s:safesubstitute
+function! s:safesubstitute(text, search, replace, mode) "{{{
+  " Substitute regexp but do not interpret replace
+  let escaped = escape(a:replace, '\&')
+  return substitute(a:text, a:search, escaped, a:mode)
+endfunction " }}}
+
 " s:vimwiki_get_known_syntaxes
 function! s:vimwiki_get_known_syntaxes() " {{{
   " Getting all syntaxes that different wikis could have
@@ -312,7 +319,8 @@ function! vimwiki#base#generate_links() "{{{
     let abs_filepath = vimwiki#path#abs_path_of_link(link)
     if !s:is_diary_file(abs_filepath)
       call add(lines, bullet.
-            \ substitute(vimwiki#vars#get_global('WikiLinkTemplate1'), '__LinkUrl__', '\='."'".link."'", ''))
+            \ s:safesubstitute(vimwiki#vars#get_global('WikiLinkTemplate1'),
+            \ '__LinkUrl__', link, ''))
     endif
   endfor
 
@@ -525,15 +533,15 @@ function! s:jump_to_anchor(anchor) "{{{
 
   for segment in segments
 
-    let anchor_header = substitute(
+    let anchor_header = s:safesubstitute(
           \ vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('header_match'),
-          \ '__Header__', "\\='".segment."'", '')
-    let anchor_bold = substitute(
+          \ '__Header__', segment, '')
+    let anchor_bold = s:safesubstitute(
           \ vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('bold_match'),
-          \ '__Text__', "\\='".segment."'", '')
-    let anchor_tag = substitute(
+          \ '__Text__', segment, '')
+    let anchor_tag = s:safesubstitute(
           \ vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('tag_match'),
-          \ '__Tag__', "\\='".segment."'", '')
+          \ '__Tag__', segment, '')
 
     if         !search(anchor_tag, 'Wc')
           \ && !search(anchor_header, 'Wc')
@@ -690,7 +698,7 @@ function! vimwiki#base#edit_file(command, filename, anchor, ...) "{{{
   " then
   " [[test*file]]...
   " you'll have E77: Too many file names
-  let fname = escape(a:filename, '% *|#')
+  let fname = escape(a:filename, '% *|#`')
   let dir = fnamemodify(a:filename, ":p:h")
 
   let ok = vimwiki#path#mkdir(dir, 1)
@@ -1032,8 +1040,8 @@ function! vimwiki#base#update_listing_in_buffer(strings, start_header,
 
   " write new listing
   let new_header = whitespaces_in_first_line
-        \ . substitute(vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxH1_Template'),
-        \ '__Header__', '\='."'".a:start_header."'", '')
+        \ . s:safesubstitute(vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('rxH1_Template'),
+        \ '__Header__', a:start_header, '')
   call append(start_lnum - 1, new_header)
   let start_lnum += 1
   let lines_diff += 1 + len(a:strings)
@@ -1182,7 +1190,13 @@ function! vimwiki#base#goto_index(wnum, ...) "{{{
   endif
 
   if a:0
-    let cmd = 'tabedit'
+    if a:1 == 1
+      let cmd = 'tabedit'
+    elseif a:1 == 2
+      let cmd = 'split'
+    elseif a:1 == 3
+      let cmd = 'vsplit'
+    endif
   else
     let cmd = 'edit'
   endif
@@ -1682,9 +1696,9 @@ function! vimwiki#base#table_of_contents(create)
   for [lvl, link, desc] in headers
     let esc_link = substitute(link, "'", "''", 'g')
     let esc_desc = substitute(desc, "'", "''", 'g')
-    let link = substitute(vimwiki#vars#get_global('WikiLinkTemplate2'), '__LinkUrl__',
-          \ '\='."'".'#'.esc_link."'", '')
-    let link = substitute(link, '__LinkDescription__', '\='."'".esc_desc."'", '')
+    let link = s:safesubstitute(vimwiki#vars#get_global('WikiLinkTemplate2'), '__LinkUrl__',
+          \ '#'.esc_link, '')
+    let link = s:safesubstitute(link, '__LinkDescription__', esc_desc, '')
     call add(lines, startindent.repeat(indentstring, lvl-1).bullet.link)
   endfor
 
@@ -1705,13 +1719,13 @@ endfunction
 function! vimwiki#base#apply_template(template, rxUrl, rxDesc, rxStyle) "{{{
   let lnk = a:template
   if a:rxUrl != ""
-    let lnk = substitute(lnk, '__LinkUrl__', '\='."'".a:rxUrl."'", 'g')
+    let lnk = s:safesubstitute(lnk, '__LinkUrl__', a:rxUrl, 'g')
   endif
   if a:rxDesc != ""
-    let lnk = substitute(lnk, '__LinkDescription__', '\='."'".a:rxDesc."'", 'g')
+    let lnk = s:safesubstitute(lnk, '__LinkDescription__', a:rxDesc, 'g')
   endif
   if a:rxStyle != ""
-    let lnk = substitute(lnk, '__LinkStyle__', '\='."'".a:rxStyle."'", 'g')
+    let lnk = s:safesubstitute(lnk, '__LinkStyle__', a:rxStyle, 'g')
   endif
   return lnk
 endfunction " }}}
@@ -1750,8 +1764,8 @@ function! vimwiki#base#normalize_link_helper(str, rxUrl, rxDesc, template) " {{{
   if descr == ""
     let descr = s:clean_url(url)
   endif
-  let lnk = substitute(template, '__LinkDescription__', '\="'.descr.'"', '')
-  let lnk = substitute(lnk, '__LinkUrl__', '\="'.url.'"', '')
+  let lnk = s:safesubstitute(template, '__LinkDescription__', descr, '')
+  let lnk = s:safesubstitute(lnk, '__LinkUrl__', url, '')
   return lnk
 endfunction " }}}
 
@@ -1759,7 +1773,7 @@ endfunction " }}}
 function! vimwiki#base#normalize_imagelink_helper(str, rxUrl, rxDesc, rxStyle, template) "{{{
   let lnk = vimwiki#base#normalize_link_helper(a:str, a:rxUrl, a:rxDesc, a:template)
   let style = matchstr(a:str, a:rxStyle)
-  let lnk = substitute(lnk, '__LinkStyle__', '\="'.style.'"', '')
+  let lnk = s:safesubstitute(lnk, '__LinkStyle__', style, '')
   return lnk
 endfunction " }}}
 
@@ -1851,8 +1865,8 @@ function! s:normalize_link_syntax_v() " {{{
     if s:is_diary_file(expand("%:p"))
       let sub = s:normalize_link_in_diary(@")
     else
-      let sub = substitute(vimwiki#vars#get_global('WikiLinkTemplate1'),
-            \ '__LinkUrl__', '\=' . "'" . @" . "'", '')
+      let sub = s:safesubstitute(vimwiki#vars#get_global('WikiLinkTemplate1'),
+            \ '__LinkUrl__', @", '')
     endif
 
     " Put substitution in register " and change text
diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/diary.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/diary.vim
index 4b18c5e..e02e94b 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/diary.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/diary.vim
@@ -174,10 +174,15 @@ function! vimwiki#diary#make_note(wnum, ...) "{{{
 
   call vimwiki#path#mkdir(vimwiki#vars#get_wikilocal('path', idx).vimwiki#vars#get_wikilocal('diary_rel_path', idx))
 
-  if a:0 && a:1 == 1
-    let cmd = 'tabedit'
-  else
-    let cmd = 'edit'
+  let cmd = 'edit'
+  if a:0
+    if a:1 == 1
+      let cmd = 'tabedit'
+    elseif a:1 == 2
+      let cmd = 'split'
+    elseif a:1 == 3
+      let cmd = 'vsplit'
+    endif
   endif
   if a:0>1
     let link = 'diary:'.a:2
diff --git a/autoload/vimwiki/markdown_base.vim b/autoload/vimwiki/markdown_base.vim
index f55be2d..fa14b62 100644
--- a/autoload/vimwiki/markdown_base.vim
+++ b/autoload/vimwiki/markdown_base.vim
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@
 
 " MISC helper functions {{{
 
+" s:safesubstitute
+function! s:safesubstitute(text, search, replace, mode) "{{{
+  " Substitute regexp but do not interpret replace
+  let escaped = escape(a:replace, '\&')
+  return substitute(a:text, a:search, escaped, a:mode)
+endfunction " }}}
+
 " vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks
 function! vimwiki#markdown_base#scan_reflinks() " {{{
   let mkd_refs = {}
@@ -117,8 +124,9 @@ function! s:normalize_link_syntax_v() " {{{
   try
     norm! gvy
     let visual_selection = @"
-    let link = substitute(vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('Weblink1Template'), '__LinkUrl__', '\='."'".visual_selection."'", '')
-    let link = substitute(link, '__LinkDescription__', '\='."'".visual_selection."'", '')
+    let link = s:safesubstitute(vimwiki#vars#get_syntaxlocal('Weblink1Template'),
+          \ '__LinkUrl__', visual_selection, '')
+    let link = s:safesubstitute(link, '__LinkDescription__', visual_selection, '')
 
     call setreg('"', link, 'v')