diff --git a/IPython/html/static/base/js/utils.js b/IPython/html/static/base/js/utils.js
index 2179e9760..4be262ca8 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/base/js/utils.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/base/js/utils.js
@@ -488,6 +488,12 @@ IPython.utils = (function (IPython) {
     };
 
 
+    var escape_html = function (text) {
+        // escape text to HTML
+        return $("<div/>").text(text).html();
+    }
+
+
     var get_body_data = function(key) {
         // get a url-encoded item from body.data and decode it
         // we should never have any encoded URLs anywhere else in code
@@ -564,6 +570,7 @@ IPython.utils = (function (IPython) {
         url_join_encode : url_join_encode,
         encode_uri_components : encode_uri_components,
         splitext : splitext,
+        escape_html : escape_html,
         always_new : always_new,
         browser : browser,
         platform: platform,
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_bool.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_bool.js
index 22be10651..6acbe7693 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_bool.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_bool.js
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager){
                 this.$checkbox.prop('disabled', disabled);
 
                 var description = this.model.get('description');
-                if (description.length === 0) {
+                if (description.trim().length === 0) {
                     this.$label.hide();
                 } else {
                     this.$label.text(description);
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager){
                 this.$el.prop('disabled', disabled);
 
                 var description = this.model.get('description');
-                if (description.length === 0) {
-                    this.$el.text(' '); // Preserve button height
+                if (description.trim().length === 0) {
+                    this.$el.html("&nbsp;"); // Preserve button height
                 } else {
                     this.$el.text(description);
                 }
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_button.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_button.js
index a0b747ebd..eb3c317a8 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_button.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_button.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager){
             // changed by another view or by a state update from the back-end.
             var description = this.model.get('description');
             if (description.length === 0) {
-                this.$el.text(' '); // Preserve button height
+                this.$el.html("&nbsp;"); // Preserve button height
             } else {
                 this.$el.text(description);
             }
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_container.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_container.js
index eb538c2db..e6d51f6a8 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_container.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_container.js
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager) {
                 });
             this.$title = $('<div />')
                 .addClass('widget-modal-title')
-                .text(' ')
+                .html("&nbsp;")
                 .appendTo(this.$title_bar);
             this.$body = $('<div />')
                 .addClass('modal-body')
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager) {
                 .appendTo(this.$window);
             
             this.$show_button = $('<button />')
-                .text(' ')
+                .html("&nbsp;")
                 .addClass('btn btn-info widget-modal-show')
                 .appendTo(this.$el)
                 .click(function(){
@@ -236,15 +236,15 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager) {
             // Called when the model is changed.  The model may have been 
             // changed by another view or by a state update from the back-end.
             var description = this.model.get('description');
-            if (description.length === 0) {
-                this.$title.text(' '); // Preserve title height
+            if (description.trim().length === 0) {
+                this.$title.html("&nbsp;"); // Preserve title height
             } else {
                 this.$title.text(description);
             }
             
             var button_text = this.model.get('button_text');
-            if (button_text.length === 0) {
-                this.$show_button.text(' '); // Preserve button height
+            if (button_text.trim().length === 0) {
+                this.$show_button.html("&nbsp;"); // Preserve button height
             } else {
                 this.$show_button.text(button_text);
             }
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_selection.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_selection.js
index 30c7ce426..bdca009b1 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_selection.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget_selection.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager){
             this.$droplabel = $('<button />')
                 .addClass('btn')
                 .addClass('widget-combo-btn')
-                .text(' ')
+                .html("&nbsp;")
                 .appendTo(this.$buttongroup);
             this.$dropbutton = $('<button />')
                 .addClass('btn')
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager){
 
             if (options === undefined || options.updated_view != this) {
                 var selected_item_text = this.model.get('value_name');
-                if (selected_item_text.length === 0) {
-                    this.$droplabel.text(' ');
+                if (selected_item_text.trim().length === 0) {
+                    this.$droplabel.html("&nbsp;");
                 } else {
                     this.$droplabel.text(selected_item_text);
                 }
@@ -233,18 +233,24 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager){
                 var items = this.model.get('value_names');
                 var disabled = this.model.get('disabled');
                 var that = this;
+                var item_html;
                 _.each(items, function(item, index) {
-                   var item_query = ' :contains("' + item + '")';
-                    if (that.$buttongroup.find(item_query).length === 0) {
-                        $('<button />')
+                    if (item.trim().length == 0) {
+                        item_html = "&nbsp;";
+                    } else {
+                        item_html = IPython.utils.escape_html(item);
+                    }
+                    var item_query = '[data-value="' + item + '"]';
+                    var $item_element = that.$buttongroup.find(item_query);
+                    if (!$item_element.length) {
+                        $item_element = $('<button/>')
                             .attr('type', 'button')
                             .addClass('btn')
-                            .text(item)
+                            .html(item_html)
                             .appendTo(that.$buttongroup)
+                            .attr('data-value', item)
                             .on('click', $.proxy(that.handle_click, that));
                     }
-                    
-                    var $item_element = that.$buttongroup.find(item_query);
                     if (that.model.get('value_name') == item) {
                         $item_element.addClass('active');
                     } else {
@@ -255,7 +261,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager){
                 
                 // Remove items that no longer exist.
                 this.$buttongroup.find('button').each(function(i, obj) {
-                    var value = $(obj).text();
+                    var value = $(obj).data('value');
                     var found = false;
                     _.each(items, function(item, index) {
                         if (item == value) {
@@ -285,7 +291,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widgets/widget"], function(WidgetManager){
             
             // Calling model.set will trigger all of the other views of the 
             // model to update.
-            this.model.set('value_name', $(e.target).text(), {updated_view: this});
+            this.model.set('value_name', $(e.target).data('value'), {updated_view: this});
             this.touch();
         },    
     });