diff --git a/twitterwidgets.py b/twitterwidgets.py
index d6eaf52..2e020fb 100644
--- a/twitterwidgets.py
+++ b/twitterwidgets.py
@@ -472,10 +472,10 @@ class TweetBox(gtk.HBox):
         new_text = re.sub(r'"([^;]*?)( |$)', r'"\1\2', new_text)
         if gtk.gtk_version[0] > 2 or (gtk.gtk_version[0] == 2 and gtk.gtk_version[1] >= 18):
             # Make URLs into links
-            new_text = re.sub(r"(http://.*?)([^0-9a-zA-Z.~/_?&-]|$)", r'<a href="\1">\1</a>\2', new_text)
+            new_text = re.sub(r"(http://.*?)([^0-9a-zA-Z.~/_?=&-]|$)", r'<a href="\1">\1</a>\2', new_text)
             # Make @ or # refs into links, to be used internally
-            new_text = re.sub(r'@(.*?)([^0-9a-zA-Z\'_]|$)', self._make_user_link, new_text)
-            new_text = re.sub(r'#(.*?)([^0-9a-zA-Z\'_-]|$)', self._make_hashtag_link, new_text)
+            new_text = re.sub(r'@(.*?)([^0-9a-zA-Z_]|$)', self._make_user_link, new_text)
+            new_text = re.sub(r'#(.*?)([ ;,.:]|$)', self._make_hashtag_link, new_text)
         self.text.set_markup(new_text)
 
         # If this is in reply to something, set appropriate label