diff --git a/src/Changes.cpp b/src/Changes.cpp
index df4a376f19..832ccacd76 100644
--- a/src/Changes.cpp
+++ b/src/Changes.cpp
@@ -486,23 +486,24 @@ void Changes::addToToc(DocIterator const & cdit, Buffer const & buffer,
 		case Change::UNCHANGED:
 			continue;
 		case Change::DELETED:
-			// 0x2702 is a scissors symbol in the Dingbats unicode group.
+			// ✂ U+2702 BLACK SCISSORS
 			str.push_back(0x2702);
 			break;
 		case Change::INSERTED:
-			// 0x270d is the hand writting symbol in the Dingbats unicode group.
-			str.push_back(0x270d); break;
+			// ✍ U+270D WRITING HAND
+			str.push_back(0x270d);
+			break;
 		}
 		dit.pos() = it->range.start;
 		Paragraph const & par = dit.paragraph();
 		str += " " + par.asString(it->range.start, min(par.size(), it->range.end));
 		if (it->range.end > par.size())
-			// the end of paragraph symbol from the Punctuation group
-			str.push_back(0x204B);
+			// ¶ U+00B6 PILCROW SIGN
+			str.push_back(0xb6);
 		docstring const & author = author_list.get(it->change.author).name();
 		Toc::iterator it = change_list->item(0, author);
 		if (it == change_list->end()) {
-			change_list->push_back(TocItem(dit, 0, author, output_active));
+			change_list->push_back(TocItem(dit, 0, author, true));
 			change_list->push_back(TocItem(dit, 1, str, output_active,
 				support::wrapParas(str, 4)));
 			continue;
diff --git a/src/TocBackend.cpp b/src/TocBackend.cpp
index 8e90a3bb12..e47ca9b630 100644
--- a/src/TocBackend.cpp
+++ b/src/TocBackend.cpp
@@ -68,14 +68,12 @@ docstring const & TocItem::tooltip() const
 
 docstring const TocItem::asString() const
 {
-	// U+2327 X IN A RECTANGLE BOX
-	// char_type const cross = 0x2327;
-	// U+274E NEGATIVE SQUARED CROSS MARK
-	char_type const cross = 0x274e;
+	static char_type const cross = 0x2716; // ✖ U+2716 HEAVY MULTIPLICATION X
+	static char_type const thin = 0x2009; // U+2009 THIN SPACE
 	docstring prefix;
 	if (!output_) {
 		prefix += cross;
-		prefix += " ";
+		prefix += thin;
 	}
 	return prefix + str_;
 }
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetBranch.cpp b/src/insets/InsetBranch.cpp
index 5a278f94c3..6c78d443c0 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetBranch.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetBranch.cpp
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ docstring InsetBranch::toolTip(BufferView const & bv, int, int) const
 
 docstring const InsetBranch::buttonLabel(BufferView const & bv) const
 {
+	static char_type const tick = 0x2714; // ✔ U+2714 HEAVY CHECK MARK
+	static char_type const cross = 0x2716; // ✖ U+2716 HEAVY MULTIPLICATION X
 	docstring s = _("Branch: ") + params_.branch;
 	Buffer const & realbuffer = *buffer().masterBuffer();
 	BranchList const & branchlist = realbuffer.params().branchlist();
@@ -103,9 +105,9 @@ docstring const InsetBranch::buttonLabel(BufferView const & bv) const
 	}
 	bool const master_selected = isBranchSelected();
 	bool const child_selected = isBranchSelected(true);
-	docstring symb = docstring(1, char_type(master_selected ? 0x2714 : 0x2716));
+	docstring symb = docstring(1, master_selected ? tick : cross);
 	if (inchild && master_selected != child_selected)
-		symb += char_type(child_selected ? 0x2714 : 0x2716);
+		symb += child_selected ? tick : cross;
 	if (decoration() == InsetLayout::CLASSIC)
 		return symb + (isOpen(bv) ? s : getNewLabel(s));
 	else