diff --git a/core/generic/parser/parser.factor b/core/generic/parser/parser.factor
index 30a463ddbd..27490e88a0 100644
--- a/core/generic/parser/parser.factor
+++ b/core/generic/parser/parser.factor
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ ERROR: not-in-a-method-error ;
     [ create-method-in ] dip [ define ] [ drop make-inline ] 2bi ;
 
 : scan-new-method ( -- method )
-    scan-class bootstrap-word scan-word create-method-in ;
+    scan-class bootstrap-word scan-syntax-word create-method-in ;
 
 SYMBOL: current-method
 
diff --git a/extra/smalltalk/library/library.factor b/extra/smalltalk/library/library.factor
index d7bc1e6570..31feaf5a41 100644
--- a/extra/smalltalk/library/library.factor
+++ b/extra/smalltalk/library/library.factor
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ SELECTOR: asString
 M: object selector-print dup present print ;
 M: object selector-asString present ;
 
-SELECTOR: print:
-SELECTOR: nextPutAll:
+SELECTOR: \print:
+SELECTOR: \nextPutAll:
 SELECTOR: tab
 SELECTOR: nl
 
@@ -41,15 +41,15 @@ M: object selector-<= swap <= ;
 M: object selector->= swap >= ;
 M: object selector-=  swap =  ;
 
-SELECTOR: min:
-SELECTOR: max:
+SELECTOR: \min:
+SELECTOR: \max:
 
 M: object selector-min: min ;
 M: object selector-max: max ;
 
-SELECTOR: ifTrue:
-SELECTOR: ifFalse:
-SELECTOR: ifTrue:ifFalse:
+SELECTOR: \ifTrue:
+SELECTOR: \ifFalse:
+SELECTOR: \ifTrue:ifFalse:
 
 M: object selector-ifTrue: [ call( -- result ) ] [ drop nil ] if ;
 M: object selector-ifFalse: [ drop nil ] [ call( -- result ) ] if ;
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ SELECTOR: isNil
 
 M: object selector-isNil nil eq? ;
 
-SELECTOR: at:
-SELECTOR: at:put:
+SELECTOR: \at:
+SELECTOR: \at:put:
 
 M: sequence selector-at: nth ;
 M: sequence selector-at:put: ( key value receiver -- receiver ) [ swapd set-nth ] keep ;
@@ -68,29 +68,29 @@ M: sequence selector-at:put: ( key value receiver -- receiver ) [ swapd set-nth
 M: assoc selector-at: at ;
 M: assoc selector-at:put: ( key value receiver -- receiver ) [ swapd set-at ] keep ;
 
-SELECTOR: do:
+SELECTOR: \do:
 
 M:: object selector-do: ( quot receiver -- nil )
     receiver [ quot call( elt -- result ) drop ] each nil ;
 
-SELECTOR: to:
-SELECTOR: to:do:
+SELECTOR: \to:
+SELECTOR: \to:do:
 
 M: object selector-to: swap [a,b] ;
 M:: object selector-to:do: ( to quot from -- nil )
     from to [a,b] [ quot call( i -- result ) drop ] each nil ;
 
 SELECTOR: value
-SELECTOR: value:
-SELECTOR: value:value:
-SELECTOR: value:value:value:
-SELECTOR: value:value:value:value:
+SELECTOR: \value:
+SELECTOR: \value:value:
+SELECTOR: \value:value:value:
+SELECTOR: \value:value:value:value:
 
 M: object selector-value call( -- result ) ;
-M: object selector-value: call( input -- result ) ;
-M: object selector-value:value: call( input input -- result ) ;
-M: object selector-value:value:value: call( input input input -- result ) ;
-M: object selector-value:value:value:value: call( input input input input -- result ) ;
+M: object \selector-value: call( input -- result ) ;
+M: object \selector-value:value: call( input input -- result ) ;
+M: object \selector-value:value:value: call( input input input -- result ) ;
+M: object \selector-value:value:value:value: call( input input input input -- result ) ;
 
 SELECTOR: new
 
diff --git a/extra/smalltalk/parser/parser-tests.factor b/extra/smalltalk/parser/parser-tests.factor
index af73e0ffac..60a9938ea0 100644
--- a/extra/smalltalk/parser/parser-tests.factor
+++ b/extra/smalltalk/parser/parser-tests.factor
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ test         = <foreign parse-smalltalk LocalVariableDeclarationList>
         }
     }
 }
-[ "class Test |[a|]" parse-smalltalk ] unit-test
+[ "class Test [|a|]" parse-smalltalk ] unit-test
 
 {
     T{ ast-sequence f { }
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ test         = <foreign parse-smalltalk LocalVariableDeclarationList>
         }
     }
 }
-[ "class Test1 |[a|]. class Test2 extends Test1 |[b|]" parse-smalltalk ] unit-test
+[ "class Test1 [|a|]. class Test2 extends Test1 [|b|]" parse-smalltalk ] unit-test
 
 { } [ "class Foo []. Tests blah " parse-smalltalk drop ] unit-test
 
diff --git a/extra/smalltalk/selectors/selectors.factor b/extra/smalltalk/selectors/selectors.factor
index c3882cd7c3..6c4648b77c 100644
--- a/extra/smalltalk/selectors/selectors.factor
+++ b/extra/smalltalk/selectors/selectors.factor
@@ -25,4 +25,4 @@ SYMBOLS: unary binary keyword ;
     [ selector>effect ]
     bi define-simple-generic ;
 
-SYNTAX: \SELECTOR: scan-token selector>generic drop ;
+SYNTAX: \SELECTOR: scan-token unescape-token selector>generic drop ;