diff --git a/lua/telescope/_extensions/themes.lua b/lua/telescope/_extensions/themes.lua
index e0bf3d9..ba3ed95 100644
--- a/lua/telescope/_extensions/themes.lua
+++ b/lua/telescope/_extensions/themes.lua
@@ -110,7 +110,6 @@ M.theme_switcher = function(opts)
             end
 
             if reload_theme(final_theme) then
-                vim.g.current_nvchad_theme = final_theme
                 if change then
                     -- ask for confirmation to set as default theme
                     local ans = string.lower(vim.fn.input("Set " .. new_theme .. " as default theme ? [y/N] ")) == "y"
@@ -120,11 +119,8 @@ M.theme_switcher = function(opts)
                     else
                         -- will be used in restoring nvchad theme var
                         final_theme = current_theme
-                        vim.g.current_nvchad_theme = final_theme
                     end
                 end
-                -- open a buffer and close it to reload the statusline
-                vim.cmd("new|bwipeout")
             else
                 final_theme = current_theme
             end
diff --git a/lua/utils.lua b/lua/utils.lua
index a54be63..7301689 100644
--- a/lua/utils.lua
+++ b/lua/utils.lua
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ M.change_theme = function(current_theme, new_theme)
     local file = vim.fn.stdpath("config") .. "/lua/chadrc.lua"
     -- store in data variable
     local data = assert(M.file("r", file))
+    -- escape characters which can be parsed as magic chars
+    current_theme = current_theme:gsub("%p", "%%%0")
+    new_theme = new_theme:gsub("%p", "%%%0")
     local find = "theme = .?" .. current_theme .. ".?"
     local replace = 'theme = "' .. new_theme .. '"'
     local content = string.gsub(data, find, replace)