diff --git a/h/em_table_lib.lua b/h/em_table_lib.lua
index e43a9dee4..b5d1596c6 100644
--- a/h/em_table_lib.lua
+++ b/h/em_table_lib.lua
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ function load_table()
 			break
 		end
 
-		local _, _, name, num, flags = line:find("^(%w+)%s+(%d+)%s+(%g+)$")
+		local _, _, name, num, flags = line:find("^(%w+)%s+(%d+)%s+([^ \t]+)$")
 		if not name then
-			error("malformed pseudo line in em_table")
+			error("malformed pseudo line in em_table: ")
 		end
 
 		pseudos[#pseudos+1] = {
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ function load_table()
 			break
 		end
 
-		local _, _, name, flags1, flags2 = line:find("^(%w+)%s+(%g+)%s+(%g+)$")
+		local _, _, name, flags1, flags2 = line:find("^(%w+)%s+([^ \t]+)%s+([^ \t]+)$")
 		if not name then
 			error("malformed mnemonic line in em_table")
 		end
diff --git a/util/ncgg/make_enterkeyw_c.lua b/util/ncgg/make_enterkeyw_c.lua
index 572cbb084..3eb6bd15b 100755
--- a/util/ncgg/make_enterkeyw_c.lua
+++ b/util/ncgg/make_enterkeyw_c.lua
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ void enterkeyw(void) {
 
 for line in io.stdin:lines() do
 	if not line:find("^#") then
-		local _, _, w1, w2 = line:find("^(%g+)%s+(%g+)$")
+		local _, _, w1, w2 = line:find("^([^ \t]+)%s+([^ \t]+)$")
 		print(string.format([[
 			lookup("%s", symkeyw, newsymbol)->sy_value.syv_keywno = %s;
 		]], w1, w2))