diff --git a/src/org.gnome.Terminal.gschema.xml b/src/org.gnome.Terminal.gschema.xml
index 9513c49..e2d8ee3 100644
--- a/src/org.gnome.Terminal.gschema.xml
+++ b/src/org.gnome.Terminal.gschema.xml
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@
       <default>true</default>
       <summary>Whether to ring the terminal bell</summary>
     </key>
-    <key name="word-char-exceptions" type="ms">
-      <default>nothing</default>
+    <key name="word-char-exceptions" type="s">
+      <default>'-,.;/?%&amp;#_=+@~'</default>
       <summary>List of ASCII punctuation characters that are not to be treated as part of a word when doing word-wise selection</summary>
     </key>
     <key name="default-show-menubar" type="b">
diff --git a/src/profile-editor.c b/src/profile-editor.c
index 8e5732d..8476a00 100644
--- a/src/profile-editor.c
+++ b/src/profile-editor.c
@@ -1053,6 +1053,9 @@ terminal_profile_edit (GSettings  *profile,
                    gtk_builder_get_object (builder,
                                            "use-theme-colors-checkbutton"),
                    "active", G_SETTINGS_BIND_GET | G_SETTINGS_BIND_SET);
+  g_settings_bind (profile, TERMINAL_PROFILE_WORD_CHAR_EXCEPTIONS_KEY,
+                   gtk_builder_get_object (builder, "word-char-exceptions-entry"),
+                   "text", G_SETTINGS_BIND_GET | G_SETTINGS_BIND_SET);
   g_settings_bind (profile, TERMINAL_PROFILE_AUDIBLE_BELL_KEY,
                    gtk_builder_get_object (builder, "bell-checkbutton"),
                    "active",
diff --git a/src/profile-preferences.ui b/src/profile-preferences.ui
index 51936f0..ac3b0a2 100644
--- a/src/profile-preferences.ui
+++ b/src/profile-preferences.ui
@@ -419,6 +419,35 @@
                       </packing>
                     </child>
                     <child>
+                      <object class="GtkLabel" id="word-char-exceptions-entry-label">
+                        <property name="visible">True</property>
+                        <property name="can_focus">False</property>
+                        <property name="xalign">0</property>
+                        <property name="label" translatable="yes">Select-by-_word exceptions:</property>
+                        <property name="use_underline">True</property>
+                        <property name="justify">center</property>
+                        <property name="mnemonic_widget">word-char-exceptions-entry</property>
+                      </object>
+                      <packing>
+                        <property name="left_attach">0</property>
+                        <property name="right_attach">1</property>
+                        <property name="top_attach">4</property>
+                        <property name="bottom_attach">5</property>
+                      </packing>
+                    </child>
+                    <child>
+                      <object class="GtkEntry" id="word-char-exceptions-entry">
+                        <property name="visible">True</property>
+                        <property name="can_focus">True</property>
+                      </object>
+                      <packing>
+                        <property name="left_attach">1</property>
+                        <property name="right_attach">4</property>
+                        <property name="top_attach">4</property>
+                        <property name="bottom_attach">5</property>
+                      </packing>
+                    </child>
+                    <child>
                       <object class="GtkCheckButton" id="bell-checkbutton">
                         <property name="label" translatable="yes">Terminal _bell</property>
                         <property name="visible">True</property>
@@ -429,8 +458,8 @@
                       <packing>
                         <property name="left_attach">0</property>
                         <property name="right_attach">4</property>
-                        <property name="top_attach">4</property>
-                        <property name="bottom_attach">5</property>
+                        <property name="top_attach">5</property>
+                        <property name="bottom_attach">6</property>
                       </packing>
                     </child>
                     <child>
@@ -447,8 +476,8 @@
                       <packing>
                         <property name="left_attach">0</property>
                         <property name="right_attach">1</property>
-                        <property name="top_attach">5</property>
-                        <property name="bottom_attach">6</property>
+                        <property name="top_attach">6</property>
+                        <property name="bottom_attach">7</property>
                       </packing>
                     </child>
                     <child>
@@ -463,8 +492,8 @@
                       <packing>
                         <property name="left_attach">0</property>
                         <property name="right_attach">1</property>
-                        <property name="top_attach">6</property>
-                        <property name="bottom_attach">7</property>
+                        <property name="top_attach">7</property>
+                        <property name="bottom_attach">8</property>
                       </packing>
                     </child>
                     <child>
@@ -479,8 +508,8 @@
                       <packing>
                         <property name="left_attach">0</property>
                         <property name="right_attach">1</property>
-                        <property name="top_attach">7</property>
-                        <property name="bottom_attach">8</property>
+                        <property name="top_attach">8</property>
+                        <property name="bottom_attach">9</property>
                       </packing>
                     </child>
                     <child>
@@ -495,8 +524,8 @@
                       <packing>
                         <property name="left_attach">0</property>
                         <property name="right_attach">1</property>
-                        <property name="top_attach">8</property>
-                        <property name="bottom_attach">9</property>
+                        <property name="top_attach">9</property>
+                        <property name="bottom_attach">10</property>
                       </packing>
                     </child>
                     <child>
@@ -512,8 +541,8 @@
                       <packing>
                         <property name="left_attach">1</property>
                         <property name="right_attach">4</property>
-                        <property name="top_attach">8</property>
-                        <property name="bottom_attach">9</property>
+                        <property name="top_attach">9</property>
+                        <property name="bottom_attach">10</property>
                       </packing>
                     </child>
                   </object>
diff --git a/src/terminal-screen.c b/src/terminal-screen.c
index 8813295..c1b67bb 100644
--- a/src/terminal-screen.c
+++ b/src/terminal-screen.c
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ terminal_screen_profile_changed_cb (GSettings     *profile,
   if (!prop_name || prop_name == I_(TERMINAL_PROFILE_WORD_CHAR_EXCEPTIONS_KEY))
     {
       gs_free char *word_char_exceptions;
-      g_settings_get (profile, TERMINAL_PROFILE_WORD_CHAR_EXCEPTIONS_KEY, "ms", &word_char_exceptions);
+      g_settings_get (profile, TERMINAL_PROFILE_WORD_CHAR_EXCEPTIONS_KEY, "s", &word_char_exceptions);
       vte_terminal_set_word_char_exceptions (vte_terminal, word_char_exceptions);
     }
 
