diff --git a/emacs/encore-mode.el b/emacs/encore-mode.el
index a5c4ef13a..d8c5f0d74 100644
--- a/emacs/encore-mode.el
+++ b/emacs/encore-mode.el
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@
 (setq encore-constants '("true" "false" "null"))
 (setq encore-primitives '("int" "string" "void" "bool"))
 
-(setq encore-keywords-regexp (regexp-opt encore-keywords 'words))
-(setq encore-danger-regexp (regexp-opt encore-danger-words 'words))
-(setq encore-constants-regexp (regexp-opt encore-constants 'words))
-(setq encore-primitives-regexp (regexp-opt encore-primitives 'words))
+(setq encore-keywords-regexp (regexp-opt encore-keywords 'symbols))
+(setq encore-danger-regexp (regexp-opt encore-danger-words 'symbols))
+(setq encore-constants-regexp (regexp-opt encore-constants 'symbols))
+(setq encore-primitives-regexp (regexp-opt encore-primitives 'symbols))
 (setq encore-types-regexp "\\<[A-Z][a-zA-Z]*\\>")
 (setq encore-function-regexp "\\<\\(def\\|stream\\)\\> \\([^(]*\\)([^)]*)\\W*:\\W*.*")
 (setq encore-variable-regexp "\\<\\([A-Za-z0-9_]*\\)\\>\\W*:")