diff --git a/scripts/appscripts/sxmo_rss.sh b/scripts/appscripts/sxmo_rss.sh
index 0e9b769..47d16c0 100755
--- a/scripts/appscripts/sxmo_rss.sh
+++ b/scripts/appscripts/sxmo_rss.sh
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ rsstimespanmenu() {
 			1 day ago
 			2 day ago
 			1970-01-01
-			Fetch $([ "$FETCHENABLED" = "1" ] && echo "enabled ✓" || echo "disabled (use cache)")
+			Fetch $([ "$FETCHENABLED" = "1" ] && echo "enabled $icon_chk" || echo "disabled (use cache)")
 		"
 		CHOICE="$(
 			echo "$CHOICES" |
diff --git a/scripts/appscripts/sxmo_youtube.sh b/scripts/appscripts/sxmo_youtube.sh
index e61eb8e..97da972 100755
--- a/scripts/appscripts/sxmo_youtube.sh
+++ b/scripts/appscripts/sxmo_youtube.sh
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ searchmenu() {
 		ENTRY="$(
 			printf %b "
 				Close Menu
-				Show 1 Result              $([ "$NRESULTS" = "1" ] && echo "✓")
-				Show 5 Results             $([ "$NRESULTS" = "5" ] && echo "✓")
-				Show 10 Results            $([ "$NRESULTS" = "10" ] && echo "✓")
-				Show 20 Results            $([ "$NRESULTS" = "20" ] && echo "✓")
+				Show 1 Result              $([ "$NRESULTS" = "1" ] && echo "$icon_chk")
+				Show 5 Results             $([ "$NRESULTS" = "5" ] && echo "$icon_chk")
+				Show 10 Results            $([ "$NRESULTS" = "10" ] && echo "$icon_chk")
+				Show 20 Results            $([ "$NRESULTS" = "20" ] && echo "$icon_chk")
 				$HISTORY
 			" |
 				xargs -0 echo |
diff --git a/scripts/core/sxmo_appmenu.sh b/scripts/core/sxmo_appmenu.sh
index 71ba415..79f10a9 100755
--- a/scripts/core/sxmo_appmenu.sh
+++ b/scripts/core/sxmo_appmenu.sh
@@ -127,10 +127,10 @@ programchoicesinit() {
 		# Audio Out menu
 		CURRENTDEV="$(sxmo_audiocurrentdevice.sh)"
 		CHOICES="
-			$icon_hdp Headphones $([ "$CURRENTDEV" = "Headphone" ] && echo "✓") ^ 1 ^ sxmo_audioout.sh Headphones
-			$icon_spk Speaker $([ "$CURRENTDEV" = "Line Out" ] && echo "✓")     ^ 1 ^ sxmo_audioout.sh Speaker
-			$icon_phn Earpiece $([ "$CURRENTDEV" = "Earpiece" ] && echo "✓")    ^ 1 ^ sxmo_audioout.sh Earpiece
-			$icon_mut None $([ "$CURRENTDEV" = "None" ] && echo "✓")            ^ 1 ^ sxmo_audioout.sh None
+			$icon_hdp Headphones $([ "$CURRENTDEV" = "Headphone" ] && echo "$icon_chk") ^ 1 ^ sxmo_audioout.sh Headphones
+			$icon_spk Speaker $([ "$CURRENTDEV" = "Line Out" ] && echo "$icon_chk")     ^ 1 ^ sxmo_audioout.sh Speaker
+			$icon_phn Earpiece $([ "$CURRENTDEV" = "Earpiece" ] && echo "$icon_chk")    ^ 1 ^ sxmo_audioout.sh Earpiece
+			$icon_mut None $([ "$CURRENTDEV" = "None" ] && echo "$icon_chk")            ^ 1 ^ sxmo_audioout.sh None
 			$icon_aru Volume up                                       ^ 1 ^ sxmo_vol.sh up
 			$icon_ard Volume down                                     ^ 1 ^ sxmo_vol.sh down
 		"
diff --git a/scripts/core/sxmo_common.sh b/scripts/core/sxmo_common.sh
index a43a9f5..b683305 100644
--- a/scripts/core/sxmo_common.sh
+++ b/scripts/core/sxmo_common.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ command -v "$KEYBOARD" > /dev/null || export KEYBOARD=svkbd-mobile-intl
 # user's computer
 
 #aliases aren't expanded in bash
+# shellcheck disable=SC2039
 command -v shopt > /dev/null && shopt -s expand_aliases
 
 alias find="busybox find"
@@ -32,6 +33,9 @@ alias xargs="busybox xargs"
 
 SXMO_COMMON_INCLUDED=1
 
+# shellcheck disable=SC2034
+icon_chk="[x]" #we override this later if the user wants icons
+
 [ "$SXMO_NO_ICONS" = "1" ] && return 0;
 
 #this script is meant to be sourced
@@ -212,6 +216,8 @@ icon_snd="" #send
 icon_phx="" #hangup
 # shellcheck disable=SC2034
 icon_wn2=""
+# shellcheck disable=SC2034
+icon_chk=""
 
 #allow the user to override icons
 if [ -x "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/sxmo/hooks/icons" ]; then
diff --git a/scripts/core/sxmo_gpsutil.sh b/scripts/core/sxmo_gpsutil.sh
index 56350e9..f39a29f 100755
--- a/scripts/core/sxmo_gpsutil.sh
+++ b/scripts/core/sxmo_gpsutil.sh
@@ -214,11 +214,11 @@ menumaptype() {
 		CURRENTMAPTYPE="$(gsettings get org.foxtrotgps repo-name | tr -d "'")"
 		CHOICES=$(echo "
 			Close Menu
-			OSM               $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "OSM" ] && echo "✓") ^ OSM
-			OpenCycleMap      $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "OpenCycleMap" ] && echo "✓") ^ OpenCycleMap
-			Google Maps       $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "Google Maps (testing only)" ] && echo "✓") ^ Google Maps (testing only)
-			Google Sat        $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "Google Sat (testing only)" ] && echo "✓") ^ Google Sat (testing only)
-			Maps-for-free.com $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "Maps-for-free.com" ] && echo "✓") ^ Maps-for-free.com
+			OSM               $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "OSM" ] && echo "$icon_chk") ^ OSM
+			OpenCycleMap      $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "OpenCycleMap" ] && echo "$icon_chk") ^ OpenCycleMap
+			Google Maps       $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "Google Maps (testing only)" ] && echo "$icon_chk") ^ Google Maps (testing only)
+			Google Sat        $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "Google Sat (testing only)" ] && echo "$icon_chk") ^ Google Sat (testing only)
+			Maps-for-free.com $([ "$CURRENTMAPTYPE" = "Maps-for-free.com" ] && echo "$icon_chk") ^ Maps-for-free.com
 		" | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d' | awk '{$1=$1};1')
 		CHOICE="$(
 			echo "$CHOICES" |
diff --git a/scripts/core/sxmo_networks.sh b/scripts/core/sxmo_networks.sh
index 144f76f..f60cc9f 100755
--- a/scripts/core/sxmo_networks.sh
+++ b/scripts/core/sxmo_networks.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 . "$(dirname "$0")/sxmo_common.sh"
 
 connections() {
-	ACTIVE="$(nmcli -c no -t c show --active | cut -d: -f1,3 | sed 's/$/ ✓/')"
+	ACTIVE="$(nmcli -c no -t c show --active | cut -d: -f1,3 | sed "s/$/ $icon_chk/")"
 	INACTIVE="$(nmcli -c no -t c show | cut -d: -f1,3)"
 	printf %b "$ACTIVE\n$INACTIVE" | sort -u -t: -k1,1
 }
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ connections() {
 toggleconnection() {
 	CONNLINE="$1"
 	CONNNAME="$(echo "$CHOICE" | cut -d: -f1)"
-	if echo "$CONNLINE" | grep "✓"; then
+	if echo "$CONNLINE" | grep "$icon_chk"; then
 		RES="$(nmcli c down "$CONNNAME" 2>&1)"
 	else
 		RES="$(nmcli c up "$CONNNAME" 2>&1)"
diff --git a/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemcall.sh b/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemcall.sh
index 41de0bd..49ef212 100755
--- a/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemcall.sh
+++ b/scripts/modem/sxmo_modemcall.sh
@@ -177,12 +177,12 @@ incallmenuloop() {
 		$([ "$WINDOWIFIED" = 0 ] && echo "$icon_lck Screenlock                      ^ togglewindowify; sxmo_screenlock &")
 		$icon_aru Volume up                                                          ^ sxmo_vol.sh up
 		$icon_ard Volume down                                                          ^ sxmo_vol.sh down
-		$icon_phn Earpiece $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -e && echo ✓)            ^ toggleflagset -e
-		$icon_mic Mic $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -m && echo ✓)                 ^ toggleflagset -m
-		$icon_itm Linejack $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -h && echo ✓)            ^ toggleflagset -h
-		$icon_itm Linemic  $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -l && echo ✓)            ^ toggleflagset -l
-		$icon_spk Speakerphone $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -s && echo ✓)        ^ toggleflagset -s
-		$icon_itm Echomic $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -z && echo ✓)             ^ toggleflagset -z
+		$icon_phn Earpiece $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -e && echo "$icon_chk")            ^ toggleflagset -e
+		$icon_mic Mic $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -m && echo "$icon_chk")                 ^ toggleflagset -m
+		$icon_itm Linejack $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -h && echo "$icon_chk")            ^ toggleflagset -h
+		$icon_itm Linemic  $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -l && echo "$icon_chk")            ^ toggleflagset -l
+		$icon_spk Speakerphone $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -s && echo "$icon_chk")        ^ toggleflagset -s
+		$icon_itm Echomic $(echo -- "$FLAGS" | grep -q -- -z && echo "$icon_chk")             ^ toggleflagset -z
 		$icon_mus DTMF Tones                                                        ^ dtmfmenu $CALLID
 		$icon_phx Hangup                                                            ^ hangup $CALLID
 	"