diff --git a/lua/ivy/controller.lua b/lua/ivy/controller.lua
index c0194eb..0af4afa 100644
--- a/lua/ivy/controller.lua
+++ b/lua/ivy/controller.lua
@@ -1,85 +1,90 @@
 local window = require "ivy.window"
 local prompt = require "ivy.prompt"
 local utils = require "ivy.utils"
 
 local controller = {}
 controller.action = utils.actions
 
 controller.items = nil
 controller.callback = nil
 
 controller.run = function(name, items, callback)
   controller.callback = callback
   controller.items = items
 
   window.initialize()
 
   window.set_items { { content = "-- Loading ---" } }
   vim.api.nvim_buf_set_name(window.get_buffer(), name)
 
   controller.input ""
 end
 
 controller.input = function(char)
   prompt.input(char)
   controller.update(prompt.text())
 end
 
 controller.search = function(value)
   prompt.set(value)
   controller.update(prompt.text())
 end
 
 controller.update = function(text)
   vim.schedule(function()
     window.set_items(controller.items(text))
     vim.cmd "syntax clear IvyMatch"
-    vim.cmd("syntax match IvyMatch '[(" .. text .. ")]'")
+    if #text > 0 then
+      -- Escape characters so they do not throw an error when vim tries to use
+      -- the "text" as a regex
+      local escaped_text = string.gsub(text, "([-/])", "\\%1")
+      vim.cmd("syntax match IvyMatch '[" .. escaped_text .. "]'")
+    end
   end)
 end
 
 controller.complete = function(action)
   vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(window.origin)
   controller.callback(window.get_current_selection(), action)
 
   controller.destroy()
 end
 
 controller.checkpoint = function()
   vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(window.origin)
   controller.callback(window.get_current_selection(), controller.action.CHECKPOINT)
   vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(window.window)
 end
 
 controller.next = function()
   local max = vim.api.nvim_buf_line_count(window.buffer) - 1
   if window.index == max then
     return
   end
 
   window.index = window.index + 1
   window.update()
 end
 
 controller.previous = function()
   if window.index == 0 then
     return
   end
 
   window.index = window.index - 1
   window.update()
 end
 
 controller.origin = function()
   return vim.api.nvim_win_get_buf(window.origin)
 end
 
 controller.destroy = function()
   controller.items = nil
   controller.callback = nil
 
   window.destroy()
   prompt.destroy()
 end
 
 return controller
diff --git a/lua/ivy/controller_test.lua b/lua/ivy/controller_test.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9865142
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/ivy/controller_test.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+local vim_mock = require "ivy.vim_mock"
+local window = require "ivy.window"
+local controller = require "ivy.controller"
+
+-- The number of the mock buffer where all the test completions gets put
+local buffer_number = 10
+
+before_each(function()
+  vim_mock.reset()
+  window.initialize()
+end)
+
+after_each(function()
+  controller.destroy()
+end)
+
+it("will run", function(t)
+  controller.run("Testing", function()
+    return { { content = "Some content" } }
+  end, function()
+    return {}
+  end)
+
+  local lines = vim_mock.get_lines()
+  local completion_lines = lines[buffer_number]
+
+  t.assert_equal(#completion_lines, 1)
+  t.assert_equal(completion_lines[1], "Some content")
+end)
+
+it("will not try and highlight the buffer if there is nothing to highlight", function(t)
+  controller.items = function()
+    return { { content = "Hello" } }
+  end
+
+  controller.update ""
+  local commands = vim_mock.get_commands()
+  t.assert_equal(#commands, 1)
+end)
+
+it("will escape a - when passing it to be highlighted", function(t)
+  controller.items = function()
+    return { { content = "Hello" } }
+  end
+
+  controller.update "some-file"
+  local commands = vim_mock.get_commands()
+  local syntax_command = commands[2]
+
+  t.assert_equal("syntax match IvyMatch '[some\\-file]'", syntax_command)
+end)