diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
index b2cd5b8..4fc43cd 100644
--- a/README.txt
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -15,7 +15,14 @@ it at the beginning of your source file(s):
 	if minetest.get_modpath("intllib") then
 		S = intllib.Getter()
 	else
+		-- If you don't use insertions (@1, @2, etc) you can use this:
 		S = function(s) return s end
+
+		-- If you use insertions, but not insertion escapes this will work:
+		S = function(s,a,...)a={a,...}return s:gsub("@(%d+)",function(n)return a[tonumber(n)]end)end
+
+		-- Use this if you require full functionality
+		S = function(s,a,...)if a==nil then return s end a={a,...}return s:gsub("(@?)@(%(?)(%d+)(%)?)",function(e,o,n,c)if e==""then return a[tonumber(n)]..(o==""and c or"")else return"@"..o..n..c end end) end
 	end
 
 You will also need to optionally depend on intllib, to do so add "intllib?" to
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 62a8f51..3712bea 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-
 -- Support the old multi-load method
 intllib = intllib or {}
 
@@ -6,7 +5,6 @@ local MP = minetest.get_modpath("intllib")
 
 dofile(MP.."/lib.lua")
 
-local strings = {}
 
 local LANG = minetest.setting_get("language")
 if not (LANG and (LANG ~= "")) then LANG = os.getenv("LANG") end
@@ -18,37 +16,59 @@ intllib.getters = intllib.getters or {}
 
 intllib.strings = {}
 
+
 local function noop_getter(s)
 	return s
 end
 
+
+local INS_CHAR = intllib.INSERTION_CHAR
+local insertion_pattern = "("..INS_CHAR.."?)"..INS_CHAR.."(%(?)(%d+)(%)?)"
+
+local function make_getter(strs)
+	return function(s, ...)
+		local str = strs[s]
+		if not str or str == "" then
+			return s
+		end
+		if select("#", ...) == 0 then
+			return str
+		end
+		local args = {...}
+		local str = str:gsub(insertion_pattern, function(escape, open, num, close)
+			if escape == "" then
+				local replacement = tostring(args[tonumber(num)])
+				if open == "" then
+					replacement = replacement..close
+				end
+				return replacement
+			else
+				return INS_CHAR..open..num..close
+			end
+		end)
+		return str
+	end
+end
+
+
 function intllib.Getter(modname)
 	modname = modname or minetest.get_current_modname()
-	if not intllib.getters[modname] then 
-		local modpath = minetest.get_modpath(modname)
-		if modpath then
-			local filename = modpath.."/locale/"..LANG..".txt"
-			local msgstr = intllib.load_strings(filename)
-			intllib.strings[modname] = msgstr or false
-			if msgstr then
-				intllib.getters[modname] = function (s)
-					if msgstr[s] and msgstr[s] ~= "" then
-						return msgstr[s]
-					end
-					return s
-				end
-			else
-				intllib.getters[modname] = noop_getter
-			end
+	if not intllib.getters[modname] then
+		local msgstr = intllib.get_strings(modname)
+		if msgstr then
+			intllib.getters[modname] = make_getter(msgstr)
+		else
+			intllib.getters[modname] = noop_getter
 		end
 	end
 	return intllib.getters[modname]
 end
 
+
 function intllib.get_strings(modname)
 	modname = modname or minetest.get_current_modname()
 	local msgstr = intllib.strings[modname]
-	if msgstr == nil then
+	if not msgstr then
 		local modpath = minetest.get_modpath(modname)
 		msgstr = intllib.load_strings(modpath.."/locale/"..LANG..".txt")
 		intllib.strings[modname] = msgstr
diff --git a/lib.lua b/lib.lua
index b3f183b..2349de4 100644
--- a/lib.lua
+++ b/lib.lua
@@ -1,19 +1,37 @@
 
 intllib = intllib or {}
 
+local INS_CHAR = "@"
+intllib.INSERTION_CHAR = INS_CHAR
+
 local escapes = {
 	["\\"] = "\\",
 	["n"]  = "\n",
+	[INS_CHAR]  = INS_CHAR..INS_CHAR,
 }
 
-local function unescape(s)
-	return s:gsub("([\\]?)\\(.)", function(slash, what)
-		if slash and (slash ~= "") then
-			return "\\"..what
+local function unescape(str)
+	local parts = {}
+	local n = 1
+	local function add(s)
+		parts[n] = s
+		n = n + 1
+	end
+
+	local start = 1
+	while true do
+		local pos = str:find("\\", start, true)
+		if pos then
+			add(str:sub(start, pos - 1))
 		else
-			return escapes[what] or what
+			add(str:sub(start))
+			break
 		end
-	end)
+		local c = str:sub(pos + 1, pos + 1)
+		add(escapes[c] or c)
+		start = pos + 2
+	end
+	return table.concat(parts)
 end
 
 local function find_eq(s)
diff --git a/tools/findtext.lua b/tools/findtext.lua
index 63137e0..b6360cb 100755
--- a/tools/findtext.lua
+++ b/tools/findtext.lua
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ for _, file in ipairs(inputs) do
 	local infile, e = io.open(file, "r")
 	if infile then
 		for line in infile:lines() do
-			for s in line:gmatch('S%("([^"]*)"%)') do
+			for s in line:gmatch('S%("([^"]*)"') do
 				table.insert(messages, s)
 			end
 		end