diff --git a/src/perl/common/Window.xs b/src/perl/common/Window.xs
index 540378b0..92db5391 100644
--- a/src/perl/common/Window.xs
+++ b/src/perl/common/Window.xs
@@ -30,15 +30,23 @@ void
 print(str, level=MSGLEVEL_CLIENTNOTICE)
 	char *str
         int level;
+PREINIT:
+        char *fixed;
 CODE:
-	printtext(NULL, NULL, level, "%s", str);
+        fixed = perl_fix_formats(str);
+	printtext(NULL, NULL, level, fixed);
+        g_free(fixed);
 
 void
 print_window(str, level=MSGLEVEL_CLIENTNOTICE)
 	char *str
         int level;
+PREINIT:
+        char *fixed;
 CODE:
-	printtext_window(active_win, level, "%s", str);
+        fixed = perl_fix_formats(str);
+	printtext_window(active_win, level, fixed);
+        g_free(fixed);
 
 void
 command(cmd, server=active_win->active_server, item=active_win->active)
@@ -107,8 +115,12 @@ print(server, channel, str, level)
 	char *channel
 	char *str
 	int level
+PREINIT:
+        char *fixed;
 CODE:
-	printtext(server, channel, level, "%s", str);
+        fixed = perl_fix_formats(str);
+	printtext(server, channel, level, fixed);
+        g_free(fixed);
 
 Irssi::Windowitem
 window_item_find(server, name)
@@ -276,5 +288,9 @@ print(item, str, level=MSGLEVEL_CLIENTNOTICE)
 	Irssi::Windowitem item
 	int level
 	char *str
+PREINIT:
+        char *fixed;
 CODE:
-	printtext(item->server, item->name, level, "%s", str);
+        fixed = perl_fix_formats(str);
+	printtext(item->server, item->name, level, fixed);
+        g_free(fixed);
diff --git a/src/perl/common/module.h b/src/perl/common/module.h
index c7db2d3a..7a035c6c 100644
--- a/src/perl/common/module.h
+++ b/src/perl/common/module.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 #undef _
 #undef VERSION
+#define HAVE_CONFIG_H
 #include "../module.h"
 
 #include "network.h"
diff --git a/src/perl/perl-common.c b/src/perl/perl-common.c
index 12c7b93c..f683a4a0 100644
--- a/src/perl/perl-common.c
+++ b/src/perl/perl-common.c
@@ -435,6 +435,41 @@ void printformat_perl(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, char *format, char **arglist)
 	g_free(module);
 }
 
+/* change all %s strings to %%s */
+char *perl_fix_formats(char *str)
+{
+	char *ret, *out;
+
+	out = ret = g_malloc(strlen(str)*2+1);
+	while (*str != '\0') {
+		if (*str == '%') {
+                        str++;
+			switch (*str) {
+			case 's':
+			case 'd':
+			case 'f':
+			case 'u':
+			case 'l':
+			case '%':
+                                *out++ = '%';
+				*out++ = '%';
+				if (*str == '%')
+                                        str += 2;
+				break;
+			default:
+				*out++ = '%';
+                                break;
+			}
+
+                        continue;
+		}
+
+                *out++ = *str++;
+	}
+        *out = '\0';
+        return ret;
+}
+
 void perl_command(const char *cmd, SERVER_REC *server, WI_ITEM_REC *item)
 {
         const char *cmdchars;
diff --git a/src/perl/perl-common.h b/src/perl/perl-common.h
index d8774090..c97a4e38 100644
--- a/src/perl/perl-common.h
+++ b/src/perl/perl-common.h
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ void irssi_add_plains(PLAIN_OBJECT_INIT_REC *objects);
 
 char *perl_get_use_list(void);
 
+/* change all %s strings to %%s */
+char *perl_fix_formats(char *str);
+
 void perl_common_init(void);
 void perl_common_deinit(void);