diff --git a/readme.txt b/readme.txt
index 29c8926..3e9c5f7 100644
--- a/readme.txt
+++ b/readme.txt
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ Release notes:
 
 	1c/03, Lib 1.2.4:
 
+		Compiler: Patched over a bug with non-ASCII word separators.
+		The problem isn't really fixed, but it will no longer corrupt
+		your game text.
+
 		Unit test runner: (game over) and (game over $) are
 		now overridden in unit.dg, to enable testing of win
 		conditions.
diff --git a/src/parse.c b/src/parse.c
index 967b594..55ee3cf 100644
--- a/src/parse.c
+++ b/src/parse.c
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ static int next_token(struct lexer *lexer, int parsemode) {
 					return 0;
 				}
 			}
-			if(strchr(STOPCHARS, ch)) {
+			if(ch < 0x80 && strchr(STOPCHARS, ch)) { // TODO - need to recognize high stopchars here ideally
 				buf[0] = ch;
 				buf[1] = 0;
 				lexer->kind = TOK_BAREWORD;
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ static int next_token(struct lexer *lexer, int parsemode) {
 						lexer->errorflag = 1;
 						return 0;
 					}
-					if(strchr(STOPCHARS, ch)) {
+					if(ch < 0x80 && strchr(STOPCHARS, ch)) { // TODO - and here (see above)
 						if(parsemode == PMODE_VALUE) {
 							report(LVL_ERR, line,
 								"Stop-character \"%c\" cannot appear inside a multi-character dictionary word.",
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ static int next_token(struct lexer *lexer, int parsemode) {
 						break;
 					}
 				}
-				if(strchr(STOPCHARS, ch)) {
+				if(ch < 0x80 && strchr(STOPCHARS, ch)) { // TODO - and here
 					if(parsemode == PMODE_VALUE) {
 						report(LVL_ERR, line,
 							"Stop-character \"%c\" cannot appear inside a multi-character dictionary word.",