diff --git a/tools/python/jwutils/stree/StringTree.py b/tools/python/jwutils/stree/StringTree.py
index 244371b..653f01a 100644
--- a/tools/python/jwutils/stree/StringTree.py
+++ b/tools/python/jwutils/stree/StringTree.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def cleanup_string(s):
         return s
     s = s.strip()
     if is_quoted(s):
-        return s[1:-1]
+        return s[1:-1].replace('\\' + s[0], s[0])
     return s
 
 class StringTree: # export
@@ -52,18 +52,18 @@ class StringTree: # export
         logcontent = "not-yet"
         if hasattr(self, "content"):
             logcontent = self.content
-        slog(DEBUG, "+ setting", content, "at path \"" + str(path_) + "\" to", logcontent)
-        if content is not None:
-            content = cleanup_string(content)
+        slog(DEBUG, "+ setting >" + str(content) + "< at path \"" + str(path_) + "\" to", logcontent)
         if path_ is None:
-            self.content = content
+            self.content = cleanup_string(content)
+            slog(DEBUG, " -- content = >" + str(content) + "<, self.content = >" + str(self.content) + "<")
             return self
         path = cleanup_string(path_)
         components = path.split('.')
         l = len(components)
         if len(path) == 0 or l == 0:
             assert self.content is None
-            self.content = content
+            self.content = cleanup_string(content)
+            slog(DEBUG, " -- content = >" + str(content) + "<, self.content = >" + str(self.content) + "<")
             #self.children[content] = StringTree(None, content)
             return self
 
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class StringTree: # export
     def value(self):
         if len(self.children) == 0:
             return None
-        return next(reversed(self.children))
+        return self.children[next(reversed(self.children))].content
 
     def dump(self, prio, caller=None, *args):
         if caller is None:
diff --git a/tools/python/jwutils/stree/serdes.py b/tools/python/jwutils/stree/serdes.py
index eb1d8fd..50e5c07 100644
--- a/tools/python/jwutils/stree/serdes.py
+++ b/tools/python/jwutils/stree/serdes.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ def _cleanup_line(line):
         else:
             if c in [ '"', "'" ]:
                 in_quote = c
-            elif c == '#':
+            elif in_quote is None and c == '#':
                 return r.strip()
         r += c
     return r