diff --git a/evennia/contrib/base_systems/color_markups/README.md b/evennia/contrib/base_systems/color_markups/README.md
index 5d92b1d021..821c776de5 100644
--- a/evennia/contrib/base_systems/color_markups/README.md
+++ b/evennia/contrib/base_systems/color_markups/README.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_FG = color_markups.CURLY_COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_FG
 COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_BG = color_markups.CURLY_COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_BG
 COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_GFG = color_markups.CURLY_COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_GFG
 COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_GBG = color_markups.CURLY_COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_GBG
-COLOR_ANSI_BRIGHT_BG_EXTRA_MAP = color_markups.CURLY_COLOR_ANSI_BRIGHT_BG_EXTRA_MAP
+COLOR_ANSI_XTERM256_BRIGHT_BG_EXTRA_MAP = color_markups.CURLY_COLOR_ANSI_XTERM256_BRIGHT_BG_EXTRA_MAP
 ```
 
 To add the `%c-` "mux/mush" style, add the following to your settings file, then
@@ -54,5 +54,5 @@ COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_FG = color_markups.MUX_COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_FG
 COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_BG = color_markups.MUX_COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_BG
 COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_GFG = color_markups.MUX_COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_GFG
 COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_GBG = color_markups.MUX_COLOR_XTERM256_EXTRA_GBG
-COLOR_ANSI_BRIGHT_BGS_EXTRA_MAP = color_markups.CURLY_COLOR_ANSI_BRIGHT_BGS_EXTRA_MAP
+COLOR_ANSI_XTERM256_BRIGHT_BG_EXTRA_MAP = color_markups.MUX_COLOR_ANSI_XTERM256_BRIGHT_BG_EXTRA_MAP
 ```
diff --git a/evennia/objects/objects.py b/evennia/objects/objects.py
index 32e96cd211..2fb2d6966c 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/objects.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/objects.py
@@ -760,6 +760,10 @@ class DefaultObject(ObjectDB, metaclass=TypeclassBase):
             exclude = make_iter(exclude)
             contents = [obj for obj in contents if obj not in exclude]
 
+        # escape existing { in the input to not interfere with mapping
+        inmessage = inmessage.replace("{", "{{")
+        inmessage = inmessage.replace("}", "}}")
+
         for receiver in contents:
 
             # actor-stance replacements