diff --git a/rc/base/d.kak b/rc/base/d.kak
index 45e613e5f..bc732acc8 100644
--- a/rc/base/d.kak
+++ b/rc/base/d.kak
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/d/code regex "\b(this)\b\s*[^(]" 1:value
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=d %{
         set-option window static_words '${keywords}:${attributes}:${types}:${values}:${decorators}:${properties}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "
diff --git a/rc/base/go.kak b/rc/base/go.kak
index 1a0a2cfca..8d548e21b 100644
--- a/rc/base/go.kak
+++ b/rc/base/go.kak
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/go/code regex %{-?([0-9]*\.(?!0[xX]))?\b([0-9]+|0[xX][0-9
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=go %{
         set-option window static_words '${keywords}:${attributes}:${types}:${values}:${functions}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "
diff --git a/rc/base/perl.kak b/rc/base/perl.kak
index cf42fffee..7a9d6c597 100644
--- a/rc/base/perl.kak
+++ b/rc/base/perl.kak
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/perl/comment fill comment
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=perl %{
         set-option window static_words '${keywords}:${attributes}:${values}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "
diff --git a/rc/base/ruby.kak b/rc/base/ruby.kak
index d01ef470b..b97459984 100644
--- a/rc/base/ruby.kak
+++ b/rc/base/ruby.kak
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/ruby/code regex \b([A-Za-z]\w*:(?!:))|([$@][A-Za-z]\w*)|(
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=ruby %{
         set-option window static_words '${keywords}:${attributes}:${values}:${meta}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "
diff --git a/rc/base/sql.kak b/rc/base/sql.kak
index f8360be87..c0b5608ac 100644
--- a/rc/base/sql.kak
+++ b/rc/base/sql.kak
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/ regions -default code sql \
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=sql %{
         set-option window static_words '${keywords}:${operators}:${functions}:${data_types}:${data_types_fn}:NULL'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "
diff --git a/rc/core/makefile.kak b/rc/core/makefile.kak
index ab4dd2f7b..1e830120b 100644
--- a/rc/core/makefile.kak
+++ b/rc/core/makefile.kak
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/makefile/content regex [+?:]= 0:operator
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=makefile %{
         set-option window static_words '${keywords}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "add-highlighter shared/makefile/content regex \b(${keywords})\b 0:keyword"
diff --git a/rc/core/python.kak b/rc/core/python.kak
index aee379576..f33fef244 100644
--- a/rc/core/python.kak
+++ b/rc/core/python.kak
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/python/comment       fill comment
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=python %{
         set-option window static_words '${values}:${meta}:${attributes}:${methods}:${exceptions}:${keywords}:${types}:${functions}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "
diff --git a/rc/core/sh.kak b/rc/core/sh.kak
index 232bf5402..bc917cc56 100644
--- a/rc/core/sh.kak
+++ b/rc/core/sh.kak
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/sh/heredoc fill string
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=sh %{
         set-option window static_words '${keywords}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "add-highlighter shared/sh/code regex \b(${keywords})\b 0:keyword"
diff --git a/rc/extra/dockerfile.kak b/rc/extra/dockerfile.kak
index bb9314c40..db3597baa 100644
--- a/rc/extra/dockerfile.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/dockerfile.kak
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/ regions -default code dockerfile \
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=dockerfile %{
         set window static_words 'ONBUILD|${keywords}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "
diff --git a/rc/extra/nim.kak b/rc/extra/nim.kak
index 89f26be14..15b80de07 100644
--- a/rc/extra/nim.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/nim.kak
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/nim/code regex %{'[^'\n]'} 0:string
     # Add the language's grammar to the static completion list
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=nim %{
         set-option window static_words '${keywords}:${types}:${values}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "
diff --git a/rc/extra/pony.kak b/rc/extra/pony.kak
index 0be7a0cbe..43a41b141 100644
--- a/rc/extra/pony.kak
+++ b/rc/extra/pony.kak
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ add-highlighter shared/pony/comment       fill comment
     static_words="${static_words}::${struct}"
     printf %s\\n "hook global WinSetOption filetype=pony %{
         set-option window static_words '${static_words}'
-    }" | sed 's,|,:,g'
+    }" | tr '|' ':'
 
     # Highlight keywords
     printf %s "