diff --git a/openlp/core/lib/formattingtags.py b/openlp/core/lib/formattingtags.py
index b2d8f6ea7..c136f00aa 100644
--- a/openlp/core/lib/formattingtags.py
+++ b/openlp/core/lib/formattingtags.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 Provide HTML Tag management and Formatting Tag access class
 """
 import cPickle
+import json
 
 from openlp.core.lib import Settings, translate
 
@@ -66,7 +67,8 @@ class FormattingTags(object):
                     if isinstance(tag[element], unicode):
                         tag[element] = tag[element].encode('utf8')
         # Formatting Tags were also known as display tags.
-        Settings().setValue(u'displayTags/html_tags', cPickle.dumps(tags) if tags else u'')
+        Settings().setValue(u'displayTags/html_tags', json.dumps(tags) if tags else u'')
+        Settings().setValue(u'displayTags/html_tags_json', True)
 
     @staticmethod
     def load_tags():
@@ -159,10 +161,14 @@ class FormattingTags(object):
 
         # Formatting Tags were also known as display tags.
         user_expands = Settings().value(u'displayTags/html_tags')
+        user_format_json = Settings().value(u'displayTags/html_tags_json')
         # cPickle only accepts str not unicode strings
         user_expands_string = str(user_expands)
         if user_expands_string:
-            user_tags = cPickle.loads(user_expands_string)
+            if user_format_json:
+                user_tags = json.loads(user_expands_string)
+            else:
+                user_tags = cPickle.loads(user_expands_string)
             for tag in user_tags:
                 for element in tag:
                     if isinstance(tag[element], str):
diff --git a/openlp/core/lib/settings.py b/openlp/core/lib/settings.py
index 5e73ffc1d..427c24c58 100644
--- a/openlp/core/lib/settings.py
+++ b/openlp/core/lib/settings.py
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ class Settings(QtCore.QSettings):
         u'advanced/x11 bypass wm': X11_BYPASS_DEFAULT,
         u'crashreport/last directory': u'',
         u'displayTags/html_tags': u'',
+        u'displayTags/html_tags_json': False,
         u'core/audio repeat list': False,
         u'core/auto open': False,
         u'core/auto preview': False,
diff --git a/tests/functional/openlp_core_lib/test_formattingtags.py b/tests/functional/openlp_core_lib/test_formattingtags.py
index 26d87f466..326dde5c8 100644
--- a/tests/functional/openlp_core_lib/test_formattingtags.py
+++ b/tests/functional/openlp_core_lib/test_formattingtags.py
@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ class TestFormattingTags(TestCase):
         """
         with patch(u'openlp.core.lib.translate') as mocked_translate, \
                 patch(u'openlp.core.lib.settings') as mocked_settings, \
-                patch(u'openlp.core.lib.formattingtags.cPickle') as mocked_cPickle:
+                patch(u'openlp.core.lib.formattingtags.json') as mocked_json:
             # GIVEN: Our mocked modules and functions.
             mocked_translate.side_effect = lambda module, string_to_translate, comment: string_to_translate
             mocked_settings.value.return_value = u''
-            mocked_cPickle.load.return_value = []
+            mocked_json.load.return_value = []
 
             # WHEN: Get the display tags.
             FormattingTags.load_tags()
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ class TestFormattingTags(TestCase):
         """
         with patch(u'openlp.core.lib.translate') as mocked_translate, \
                 patch(u'openlp.core.lib.settings') as mocked_settings, \
-                patch(u'openlp.core.lib.formattingtags.cPickle') as mocked_cPickle:
+                patch(u'openlp.core.lib.formattingtags.json') as mocked_json:
             # GIVEN: Our mocked modules and functions.
             mocked_translate.side_effect = lambda module, string_to_translate: string_to_translate
             mocked_settings.value.return_value = u''
-            mocked_cPickle.loads.side_effect = [[], [TAG]]
+            mocked_json.loads.side_effect = [[], [TAG]]
 
             # WHEN: Get the display tags.
             FormattingTags.load_tags()