diff --git a/src/DisplayState.py b/src/DisplayState.py
index cdf7b4988..3f6d1ed88 100644
--- a/src/DisplayState.py
+++ b/src/DisplayState.py
@@ -273,17 +273,18 @@ class RecentDocsMenu(object):
 
         for item in rfiles:
             try:
-                title = item.get_name().replace('_', '__')
+                title = item.get_name()
                 filename = os.path.basename(item.get_path())
                 action_id = "RecentMenu%d" % count
                 buf.write('<menuitem action="%s"/>' % action_id)
                 actions.append((action_id, None, title, None, None, 
                                 make_callback(item, self.load)))
-                mitem = gtk.MenuItem(title)
+                mitem = gtk.MenuItem(title, use_underline=False)
                 mitem.connect('activate', make_callback(item, self.load))
                 mitem.show()
                 new_menu.append(mitem)
             except RuntimeError:
+                _LOG.info("Ignoring the RecentItem %s (%s)" % (title, filename))
                 pass    # ignore no longer existing files
             
             count += 1
diff --git a/src/RecentFiles.py b/src/RecentFiles.py
index ac320eed9..f436edbae 100644
--- a/src/RecentFiles.py
+++ b/src/RecentFiles.py
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ class RecentFiles(object):
             if index > MAX_GRAMPS_ITEMS:
                 break
             xml_file.write('  <RecentItem>\n')
-            xml_file.write('    <Path>%s</Path>\n' % item.get_path())
-            xml_file.write('    <Name>%s</Name>\n' % item.get_name())
+            xml_file.write('    <Path><![CDATA[%s]]></Path>\n' % item.get_path())
+            xml_file.write('    <Name><![CDATA[%s]]></Name>\n' % item.get_name())
             xml_file.write('    <Timestamp>%d</Timestamp>\n' % item.get_time())
             xml_file.write('  </RecentItem>\n')
         xml_file.write('</RecentFiles>\n')