diff --git a/example_engine.lua b/example_engine.lua
index 75c9bed..cc55b31 100644
--- a/example_engine.lua
+++ b/example_engine.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 -- Example Engine File
 -- You can use this file as an example to base your own engine off of
 
+-- Compliance notes
+-- If the web service requires translations to be announced,
+-- this will be the compliance string to be displayed.
+babel.compliance = "Translations are Powered by Example.com"
+
 -- Declare the engine name
 -- This is used in displaying messages by the main library
 babel.engine = "EXAMPLE"
@@ -15,23 +20,36 @@ babel.langcodes = {
 -- The API URL for the service
 local serviceurl = "https://translations.example.com/api/v42/json?"
 
+local httpapi
+
+function babel.register_http(hat)
+	httpapi = hat
+end
+
 -- The public-facing translation function
-function babel.translate(self, phrase, lang)
+function babel.translate(self, phrase, lang, handler)
+	-- phrase : A string of the phrase to translate
+	-- lang : the language code to pass to the server
+	-- handler : a handler function to return the data to babelfish core
 
 	-- Construct the request URL
+	-- We sanitize both lang and phrase as they can be player-entered data
+	-- For example:
 	local transurl = serviceurl ..
 		"key="..babel.key.."&"..
-		"text="..phrase:gsub(" ","+").."&"..
-		"lang="..lang
+		"text="..babel.sanitize(phrase).."&"..
+		"lang="..babel.sanitize(lang)
 	
 	-- make the request
-	local response = babel:request(transurl)
+	httpapi.fetch({url = transurl}, function(htresponse)
+		if htresponse.succeeded then
+			handler(extract_phrase(htresponse.data) )
+		else
+			handler("Failed request")
+			minetest.log("error", "Error on requesting -- "..dump(htresponse))
+		end
+	end)
 	
 	-- do further processing on response, or just return it as-is
 	return response
 end
-
--- Compliance notes
--- If the web service requires translations to be announced,
--- this will be the compliance string to be displayed.
-babel.compliance = "Translations are Powered by Example.com"
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 73aa877..edc39e1 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ babel = {}
 
 local modpath = minetest.get_modpath("babelfish")
 dofile(modpath.."/chat.lua" )
+dofile(modpath.."/utilities.lua" )
+
 local langprefs = minetest.get_worldpath().."/babel_langprefs"
 local engine = minetest.setting_get("babelfish.engine") or "yandex"
 babel.key = minetest.setting_get("babelfish.key")
@@ -141,7 +143,7 @@ end)
 local function f_babel(player, argstring)
 	local targetplayer = argstring
 	if not player_pref_language[player] then
-		player_pref_language[player] = "en"
+		player_pref_language[player] = babel.defaultlang
 	end
 
 	local targetlang = player_pref_language[player]
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@ local function f_babel(player, argstring)
 end
 
 local function f_babelshout(player, argstring)
+	-- babel equivalent of shout - broadcast translated message
 	local targetlang, targetphrase = components(argstring)
 
 	local validation = babel:validate_lang(targetlang)
@@ -178,6 +181,7 @@ local function f_babelshout(player, argstring)
 end
 
 local function f_babelmsg(player, argstring)
+	-- babel equivalent of private message
 	local targetplayer, targetphrase = components(argstring)
 	local targetlang = player_pref_language[targetplayer]
 
@@ -201,6 +205,7 @@ end
 local function setplayerlanguage(tplayer, langcode)
 	if minetest.get_player_by_name(tplayer) then
 		player_pref_language[tplayer] = langcode
+		prefsave()
 	end
 end
 
@@ -216,9 +221,8 @@ minetest.register_chatcommand("bblang", {
 			babel.chat_send_player(player, validation)
 			return
 		else
-			player_pref_language[player] = args
+			setplayerlanguage(player, args) -- FIXME this should use the above pref functions
 			babel.chat_send_player(player, args.." : OK" )
-			prefsave()
 		end
 	end
 })
diff --git a/utilities.lua b/utilities.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..643c7d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utilities.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+babel.sanitize = function(stringdata)
+	stringdata = stringdata:gsub(" ","+")
+	stringdata = stringdata:gsub("&", "%26")
+
+	return stringdata
+end
diff --git a/yandex_engine.lua b/yandex_engine.lua
index a29ca1a..698ea5c 100644
--- a/yandex_engine.lua
+++ b/yandex_engine.lua
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 -- in a LICENSE.txt file
 -- If not, please see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl-3.0.html
 
+babel.compliance = "Translations are Powered by Yandex.Translate"
+
 local json = require("json")
 
 local httpapi
@@ -117,8 +119,8 @@ end
 function babel.translate(self, phrase, lang, handler)
 	local transurl = serviceurl ..
 		"key="..babel.key.."&"..
-		"text="..phrase:gsub(" ","+").."&"..
-		"lang="..lang
+		"text="..babel.sanitize(phrase).."&"..
+		"lang="..babel.sanitize(lang)
 	
 	httpapi.fetch({url = transurl}, function(htresponse)
 		if htresponse.succeeded then
@@ -130,5 +132,3 @@ function babel.translate(self, phrase, lang, handler)
 	end)
 end
 
-babel.compliance = "Translations are Powered by Yandex.Translate"
-dofile(minetest.get_modpath("babelfish").."/compliance.lua")