diff --git a/bot/controller.go b/bot/controller.go
index 1749cda..d14c060 100644
--- a/bot/controller.go
+++ b/bot/controller.go
@@ -245,10 +245,7 @@ func (bc *BotController) commandCreateSimpleTx(m *tb.Message) {
 		return
 	}
 	hint := tx.NextHint(bc.Repo, m)
-	_, err = bc.Bot.Send(Recipient(m), hint.Prompt, ReplyKeyboard(hint.KeyboardOptions))
-	if err != nil {
-		bc.Logf(ERROR, m, "Sending bot message failed: %s", err.Error())
-	}
+	bc.sendNextTxHint(hint, m)
 }
 
 func (bc *BotController) commandAddComment(m *tb.Message) {
@@ -660,12 +657,7 @@ func (bc *BotController) handleTextState(m *tb.Message) {
 			return
 		}
 		hint := tx.NextHint(bc.Repo, m)
-		replyKeyboard := ReplyKeyboard(hint.KeyboardOptions)
-		bc.Logf(TRACE, m, "Sending hints for next step: %v", hint.KeyboardOptions)
-		_, err = bc.Bot.Send(Recipient(m), hint.Prompt, replyKeyboard)
-		if err != nil {
-			bc.Logf(ERROR, m, "Sending bot message failed: %s", err.Error())
-		}
+		bc.sendNextTxHint(hint, m)
 		return
 	} else if state == ST_TPL {
 		if bc.processNewTemplateResponse(m, bc.State.tplStates[chatId(m.Chat.ID)]) {
@@ -677,6 +669,15 @@ func (bc *BotController) handleTextState(m *tb.Message) {
 		"Are there new state types not maintained yet?")
 }
 
+func (bc *BotController) sendNextTxHint(hint *Hint, m *tb.Message) {
+	replyKeyboard := ReplyKeyboard(hint.KeyboardOptions)
+	bc.Logf(TRACE, m, "Sending hints for next step: %v", hint.KeyboardOptions)
+	_, err := bc.Bot.Send(Recipient(m), escapeCharacters(hint.Prompt, "(", ")", "."), replyKeyboard, tb.ModeMarkdownV2)
+	if err != nil {
+		bc.Logf(ERROR, m, "Sending bot message failed: %s", err.Error())
+	}
+}
+
 func clearKeyboard() *tb.ReplyMarkup {
 	return &tb.ReplyMarkup{ReplyKeyboardRemove: true}
 }
diff --git a/bot/transactionBuilder.go b/bot/transactionBuilder.go
index 15047f1..b0e6769 100644
--- a/bot/transactionBuilder.go
+++ b/bot/transactionBuilder.go
@@ -184,10 +184,10 @@ func CreateSimpleTx(suggestedCur, template string) (Tx, error) {
 		stepDetails: make(map[command]Input),
 		template:    template,
 	}).
-		addStep("amount", fmt.Sprintf("Please enter the amount of money (e.g. '12.34' or '12.34 %s')", suggestedCur), HandleFloat).
-		addStep("from", "Please enter the account the money came from (or select one from the list)", HandleRaw).
-		addStep("to", "Please enter the account the money went to (or select one from the list)", HandleRaw).
-		addStep("description", "Please enter a description (or select one from the list)", HandleRaw)
+		addStep("amount", fmt.Sprintf("Please enter the *amount* of money (e.g. '12.34' or '12.34 %s')", suggestedCur), HandleFloat).
+		addStep("from", "Please enter the *account* the money came *from* (or select one from the list)", HandleRaw).
+		addStep("to", "Please enter the *account* the money went *to* (or select one from the list)", HandleRaw).
+		addStep("description", "Please enter a *description* (or select one from the list)", HandleRaw)
 	return tx, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/scenarioTests/features/list.feature b/scenarioTests/features/list.feature
index c3a6cdc..782f05d 100644
--- a/scenarioTests/features/list.feature
+++ b/scenarioTests/features/list.feature
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ Feature: List transactions
       And I create a simple tx with amount 1.23 and accFrom someFromAccount and accTo someToAccount and desc Test Tx
       And I wait 0.1 seconds
     When I send the message "/list dated"
+      And I wait 0.1 seconds
     Then 1 messages should be sent back
       And the response should include the message "; recorded on $today "
 
diff --git a/scenarioTests/features/templates.feature b/scenarioTests/features/templates.feature
index 5a1aba6..9bd18d2 100644
--- a/scenarioTests/features/templates.feature
+++ b/scenarioTests/features/templates.feature
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ Feature: Templates
     When I send the message "/t my"
     Then 2 messages should be sent back
       And the response should include the message "Creating a new transaction from your template 'mytpl'"
-      And the response should include the message "Please enter the amount"
+      And the response should include the message "Please enter the *amount*"
     When I send the message "15,15"
     Then 1 messages should be sent back
-      And the response should include the message "Please enter a description"
+      And the response should include the message "Please enter a **description**"
     When I send the message "some description"
     Then 1 messages should be sent back
       And the response should include the message "Successfully recorded your transaction."
diff --git a/scenarioTests/features/transactions.feature b/scenarioTests/features/transactions.feature
index a464530..dadb0e7 100644
--- a/scenarioTests/features/transactions.feature
+++ b/scenarioTests/features/transactions.feature
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@ Feature: Transactions
     When I send the message "12.34"
     Then 2 messages should be sent back
       And the response should include the message "created a new transaction for you"
-      And the response should include the message "enter the account the money came from"
+      And the response should include the message "enter the **account** the money came **from**"
     When I send the message "FromAccount"
     Then 1 messages should be sent back
-      And the response should include the message "enter the account the money went to"
+      And the response should include the message "enter the **account** the money went **to**"
     When I send the message "ToAccount"
     Then 1 messages should be sent back
-      And the response should include the message "enter a description"
+      And the response should include the message "enter a **description**"
     When I send the message "any random tx description"
     Then 1 messages should be sent back
       And the response should include the message "Successfully recorded your transaction."
diff --git a/scenarioTests/steps/bot.py b/scenarioTests/steps/bot.py
index d88eaed..bc4ffa4 100644
--- a/scenarioTests/steps/bot.py
+++ b/scenarioTests/steps/bot.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ async def step_impl(context, same, message):
     try:
         assert message in response.text
     except AssertionError:
-        print("substring", message, "could not be found in", response.text)
+        print("substring '", message, "' could not be found in '", response.text, "'")
         assert False
 
 @then('the response should have a keyboard with {position} entry being "{keyboardEntry}"')