diff --git a/src/dynamic_value/dynamic_string.rs b/src/dynamic_value/dynamic_string.rs
index 6c0cfb5..7c0dbdb 100644
--- a/src/dynamic_value/dynamic_string.rs
+++ b/src/dynamic_value/dynamic_string.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ enum DynamicStringSegment {
 ///
 /// ```rs
 /// dynamic_string(&text, move |string| {
-///     label.set_markup(&string);
+///     label.set_label_escaped(&string);
 /// });
 /// ```
 pub fn dynamic_string<F>(input: &str, mut f: F)
diff --git a/src/gtk_helpers.rs b/src/gtk_helpers.rs
index cc88822..628ac3a 100644
--- a/src/gtk_helpers.rs
+++ b/src/gtk_helpers.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use glib::IsA;
+use glib::{markup_escape_text, IsA};
 use gtk::prelude::*;
 use gtk::{Orientation, Widget};
 
@@ -75,3 +75,22 @@ impl<W: IsA<Widget>> IronbarGtkExt for W {
         unsafe { self.set_data(key, value) }
     }
 }
+
+pub trait IronbarLabelExt {
+    /// Sets the label value to the provided string.
+    ///
+    /// If the label does not contain markup `span` tags,
+    /// the text is escaped to avoid issues with special characters (ie `&`).
+    /// Otherwise, the text is used verbatim, and it is up to the user to escape.
+    fn set_label_escaped(&self, label: &str);
+}
+
+impl IronbarLabelExt for gtk::Label {
+    fn set_label_escaped(&self, label: &str) {
+        if !label.contains("<span") {
+            self.set_label(&markup_escape_text(label));
+        } else {
+            self.set_label(label);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/modules/custom/button.rs b/src/modules/custom/button.rs
index 98476e8..53f7f9f 100644
--- a/src/modules/custom/button.rs
+++ b/src/modules/custom/button.rs
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@ use gtk::prelude::*;
 use gtk::{Button, Label, Orientation};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
+use super::{CustomWidget, CustomWidgetContext, ExecEvent, WidgetConfig};
 use crate::config::ModuleOrientation;
 use crate::dynamic_value::dynamic_string;
+use crate::gtk_helpers::IronbarLabelExt;
 use crate::modules::PopupButton;
 use crate::{build, try_send};
 
-use super::{CustomWidget, CustomWidgetContext, ExecEvent, WidgetConfig};
-
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Clone)]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "schema", derive(schemars::JsonSchema))]
 pub struct ButtonWidget {
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ impl CustomWidget for ButtonWidget {
             button.add(&label);
 
             dynamic_string(&text, move |string| {
-                label.set_markup(&string);
+                label.set_label_escaped(&string);
             });
         }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/custom/label.rs b/src/modules/custom/label.rs
index 55d2507..ded516c 100644
--- a/src/modules/custom/label.rs
+++ b/src/modules/custom/label.rs
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ use gtk::prelude::*;
 use gtk::Label;
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
+use super::{CustomWidget, CustomWidgetContext};
 use crate::build;
 use crate::config::ModuleOrientation;
 use crate::dynamic_value::dynamic_string;
-
-use super::{CustomWidget, CustomWidgetContext};
+use crate::gtk_helpers::IronbarLabelExt;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize, Clone)]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "schema", derive(schemars::JsonSchema))]
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ impl CustomWidget for LabelWidget {
         {
             let label = label.clone();
             dynamic_string(&self.label, move |string| {
-                label.set_markup(&string);
+                label.set_label_escaped(&string);
             });
         }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/label.rs b/src/modules/label.rs
index 0004ad9..ccb783f 100644
--- a/src/modules/label.rs
+++ b/src/modules/label.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 use crate::config::CommonConfig;
 use crate::dynamic_value::dynamic_string;
+use crate::gtk_helpers::IronbarLabelExt;
 use crate::modules::{Module, ModuleInfo, ModuleParts, ModuleUpdateEvent, WidgetContext};
 use crate::{glib_recv, module_impl, try_send};
 use color_eyre::Result;
-use gtk::prelude::*;
 use gtk::Label;
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use tokio::sync::mpsc;
@@ -56,12 +56,11 @@ impl Module<Label> for LabelModule {
         context: WidgetContext<Self::SendMessage, Self::ReceiveMessage>,
         _info: &ModuleInfo,
     ) -> Result<ModuleParts<Label>> {
-        let label = Label::new(None);
-        label.set_use_markup(true);
+        let label = Label::builder().use_markup(true).build();
 
         {
             let label = label.clone();
-            glib_recv!(context.subscribe(), string => label.set_markup(&string));
+            glib_recv!(context.subscribe(), string => label.set_label_escaped(&string));
         }
 
         Ok(ModuleParts {
diff --git a/src/modules/music/mod.rs b/src/modules/music/mod.rs
index 76e45cd..96cb91a 100644
--- a/src/modules/music/mod.rs
+++ b/src/modules/music/mod.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 use color_eyre::Result;
-use glib::{markup_escape_text, Propagation, PropertySet};
+use glib::{Propagation, PropertySet};
 use gtk::prelude::*;
 use gtk::{Button, IconTheme, Label, Orientation, Scale};
 use regex::Regex;
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use crate::clients::music::{
     self, MusicClient, PlayerState, PlayerUpdate, ProgressTick, Status, Track,
 };
 use crate::clients::Clients;
-use crate::gtk_helpers::IronbarGtkExt;
+use crate::gtk_helpers::{IronbarGtkExt, IronbarLabelExt};
 use crate::image::{new_icon_button, new_icon_label, ImageProvider};
 use crate::modules::PopupButton;
 use crate::modules::{
@@ -189,10 +189,11 @@ impl Module<Button> for MusicModule {
 
         let icon_play = new_icon_label(&self.icons.play, info.icon_theme, self.icon_size);
         let icon_pause = new_icon_label(&self.icons.pause, info.icon_theme, self.icon_size);
-        let label = Label::new(None);
 
-        label.set_use_markup(true);
-        label.set_angle(info.bar_position.get_angle());
+        let label = Label::builder()
+            .use_markup(true)
+            .angle(info.bar_position.get_angle())
+            .build();
 
         if let Some(truncate) = self.truncate {
             truncate.truncate_label(&label);
@@ -222,7 +223,7 @@ impl Module<Button> for MusicModule {
                 };
 
                 if let Some(event) = event.take() {
-                    label.set_label(&event.display_string);
+                    label.set_label_escaped(&event.display_string);
 
                     button.show();
 
@@ -473,7 +474,7 @@ impl Module<Button> for MusicModule {
                         if let (Some(elapsed), Some(duration)) =
                             (progress_tick.elapsed, progress_tick.duration)
                         {
-                            progress_label.set_label(&format!(
+                            progress_label.set_label_escaped(&format!(
                                 "{}/{}",
                                 format_time(elapsed),
                                 format_time(duration)
@@ -498,7 +499,7 @@ impl Module<Button> for MusicModule {
 fn update_popup_metadata_label(text: Option<String>, label: &IconLabel) {
     match text {
         Some(value) => {
-            label.label.set_text(&value);
+            label.label.set_label_escaped(&value);
             label.container.show_all();
         }
         None => {
@@ -531,7 +532,6 @@ fn get_token_value(song: &Track, token: &str) -> String {
         "track" => song.track.map(|x| x.to_string()),
         _ => Some(token.to_string()),
     }
-    .map(|str| markup_escape_text(str.as_str()).to_string())
     .unwrap_or_default()
 }
 
diff --git a/src/modules/script.rs b/src/modules/script.rs
index 83a0748..b2ec0ca 100644
--- a/src/modules/script.rs
+++ b/src/modules/script.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use crate::config::CommonConfig;
+use crate::gtk_helpers::IronbarLabelExt;
 use crate::modules::{Module, ModuleInfo, ModuleParts, ModuleUpdateEvent, WidgetContext};
 use crate::script::{OutputStream, Script, ScriptMode};
 use crate::{glib_recv, module_impl, spawn, try_send};
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ impl Module<Label> for ScriptModule {
 
         {
             let label = label.clone();
-            glib_recv!(context.subscribe(), s => label.set_markup(s.as_str()));
+            glib_recv!(context.subscribe(), s => label.set_label_escaped(&s));
         }
 
         Ok(ModuleParts {
diff --git a/src/modules/sway/mode.rs b/src/modules/sway/mode.rs
index 1499d1e..eb544d9 100644
--- a/src/modules/sway/mode.rs
+++ b/src/modules/sway/mode.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use crate::config::{CommonConfig, TruncateMode};
+use crate::gtk_helpers::IronbarLabelExt;
 use crate::modules::{Module, ModuleInfo, ModuleParts, ModuleUpdateEvent, WidgetContext};
 use crate::{await_sync, glib_recv, module_impl, try_send};
 use color_eyre::{Report, Result};
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ impl Module<Label> for SwayModeModule {
         _info: &ModuleInfo,
     ) -> Result<ModuleParts<Label>> {
         let label = Label::new(None);
+        label.set_use_markup(true);
 
         {
             let label = label.clone();
@@ -71,9 +73,9 @@ impl Module<Label> for SwayModeModule {
                 trace!("mode: {:?}", mode);
                 label.set_use_markup(mode.pango_markup);
                 if mode.change == "default" {
-                    label.set_markup("");
+                    label.set_label_escaped("");
                 } else {
-                    label.set_markup(&mode.change);
+                    label.set_label_escaped(&mode.change);
                 }
             };
 
diff --git a/src/modules/sysinfo.rs b/src/modules/sysinfo.rs
index de6ac27..35ffb5d 100644
--- a/src/modules/sysinfo.rs
+++ b/src/modules/sysinfo.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::config::{CommonConfig, ModuleOrientation};
-use crate::gtk_helpers::IronbarGtkExt;
+use crate::gtk_helpers::{IronbarGtkExt, IronbarLabelExt};
 use crate::modules::{Module, ModuleInfo, ModuleParts, ModuleUpdateEvent, WidgetContext};
 use crate::{glib_recv, module_impl, send_async, spawn};
 use color_eyre::Result;
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ impl Module<gtk::Box> for SysInfoModule {
                             .to_string()
                     });
 
-                    label.set_markup(format_compiled.as_ref());
+                    label.set_label_escaped(format_compiled.as_ref());
                 }
             });
         }
diff --git a/src/modules/upower.rs b/src/modules/upower.rs
index ec881d9..c60a73d 100644
--- a/src/modules/upower.rs
+++ b/src/modules/upower.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use zbus;
 use zbus::fdo::PropertiesProxy;
 
 use crate::config::CommonConfig;
-use crate::gtk_helpers::IronbarGtkExt;
+use crate::gtk_helpers::{IronbarGtkExt, IronbarLabelExt};
 use crate::image::ImageProvider;
 use crate::modules::PopupButton;
 use crate::modules::{
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ impl Module<gtk::Button> for UpowerModule {
             ImageProvider::parse(&icon_name, &icon_theme, false, self.icon_size)
                     .map(|provider| provider.load_into_image(icon.clone()));
 
-            label.set_markup(format.as_ref());
+            label.set_label_escaped(&format);
         });
 
         let rx = context.subscribe();
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ impl Module<gtk::Button> for UpowerModule {
             .orientation(Orientation::Horizontal)
             .build();
 
-        let label = Label::new(None);
+        let label = Label::builder().use_markup(true).build();
         label.add_class("upower-details");
         container.add(&label);
 
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ impl Module<gtk::Button> for UpowerModule {
                 _ => String::new(),
             };
 
-            label.set_markup(&format);
+            label.set_label_escaped(&format);
         });
 
         container.show_all();