diff --git a/netpyne_ui/netpyne_geppetto.py b/netpyne_ui/netpyne_geppetto.py
index 7fa47880..ed75adaa 100644
--- a/netpyne_ui/netpyne_geppetto.py
+++ b/netpyne_ui/netpyne_geppetto.py
@@ -774,7 +774,8 @@ def doIhaveInstOrSimData(self):
         return {'haveInstance': out[0], 'haveSimData': out[1]}
 
     def rename(self, path, oldValue, newValue):
-        command = 'sim.rename(self.' + path + ',"' + oldValue + '","' + newValue + '")'
+        # command = 'sim.rename(self.' + path + ',"' + oldValue + '","' + newValue + '")'
+        command = f'sim.rename(self.{path}, {oldValue!r}, {newValue!r})'
         logging.debug('renaming ' + command)
 
         eval(command)
diff --git a/webapp/Utils.js b/webapp/Utils.js
index d53b3021..da39c01c 100644
--- a/webapp/Utils.js
+++ b/webapp/Utils.js
@@ -155,7 +155,13 @@ const Utils = {
     return modelFields;
   },
 
+  asEscapedString (value) {
+    return value.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\').replace(/"/g, '\\"')
+  },
+
   renameKey (path, oldValue, newValue, callback) {
+    oldValue = oldValue.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\').replace(/"/g, '\\"');
+    newValue = newValue.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\').replace(/"/g, '\\"');
     this.execPythonMessage(`netpyne_geppetto.rename("${path}","${oldValue}","${newValue}")`)
       .then((response) => {
         callback(response, newValue);
diff --git a/webapp/components/general/PythonControlledCapability.js b/webapp/components/general/PythonControlledCapability.js
index 8a900bdc..66ff0e9b 100644
--- a/webapp/components/general/PythonControlledCapability.js
+++ b/webapp/components/general/PythonControlledCapability.js
@@ -46,11 +46,14 @@ define((require) => {
         }
 
         connectToPython (componentType, model) {
-          GeppettoUtils.execPythonMessage(`jupyter_geppetto.ComponentSync(componentType="${componentType}",model="${model}",id="${this.id}").connect()`);
+          const id = this.id.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\').replace(/"/g, '\\"');
+          model = model.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\').replace(/"/g, '\\"');
+          GeppettoUtils.execPythonMessage(`jupyter_geppetto.ComponentSync(componentType="${componentType}",model="${model}",id="${id}").connect()`);
         }
 
         disconnectFromPython () {
-          GeppettoUtils.execPythonMessage(`jupyter_geppetto.remove_component_sync(componentType="${this.state.componentType}",model="${this.id}")`);
+          const id = this.id.replace(/\\/g, '\\\\').replace(/"/g, '\\"');
+          GeppettoUtils.execPythonMessage(`jupyter_geppetto.remove_component_sync(componentType="${this.state.componentType}",model="${id}")`);
           GEPPETTO.ComponentFactory.removeExistingComponent(this.state.componentType, this);
         }