diff --git a/app/src/main/java/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ime/TraditionalT9.java b/app/src/main/java/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ime/TraditionalT9.java
index 5a0d1485..84a5e6ca 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ime/TraditionalT9.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/io/github/sspanak/tt9/ime/TraditionalT9.java
@@ -701,6 +701,9 @@ public class TraditionalT9 extends KeyPadHandler {
 	private void setComposingTextWithHighlightedStem(@NonNull String word) {
 		if (appHacks.setComposingTextWithHighlightedStem(word)) {
 			Logger.w("highlightComposingText", "Defective text field detected! Text highlighting disabled.");
+		} else if (word.isEmpty() || !Character.isLetterOrDigit(word.charAt(0))) {
+			// Leave emoji and special characters alone. Adding bold or italic breaks them.
+			textField.setComposingText(word);
 		} else {
 			textField.setComposingTextWithHighlightedStem(word, mInputMode);
 		}