diff --git a/src/apps/mail/MailApp.cpp b/src/apps/mail/MailApp.cpp
index bd177a09d4..8aab75c5b6 100644
--- a/src/apps/mail/MailApp.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/mail/MailApp.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ TMailApp::TMailApp()
 	fAutoMarkRead = true;
 	fSignature = (char*)malloc(strlen(B_TRANSLATE("None")) + 1);
 	strcpy(fSignature, B_TRANSLATE("None"));
-	fReplyPreamble = strdup(B_TRANSLATE("%e wrote:%b"));
+	fReplyPreamble = strdup(B_TRANSLATE("%e wrote:\\n"));
 
 	fMailWindowFrame.Set(0, 0, 0, 0);
 	fSignatureWindowFrame.Set(6, TITLE_BAR_HEIGHT, 6 + kSigWidth,
diff --git a/src/apps/mail/MailWindow.cpp b/src/apps/mail/MailWindow.cpp
index 9280aab70f..ce3344f094 100644
--- a/src/apps/mail/MailWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/mail/MailWindow.cpp
@@ -2123,9 +2123,7 @@ TMailWindow::Reply(entry_ref *ref, TMailWindow *window, uint32 type)
 	preamble.ReplaceAll("%n", name);
 	preamble.ReplaceAll("%e", address);
 	preamble.ReplaceAll("%d", date);
-	preamble.ReplaceAll("%b", "\n");
 	preamble.ReplaceAll("\\n", "\n");
-		// backwards compatability with older settings
 
 	// insert (if selection) or load (if whole mail) message text into text view
 
diff --git a/src/apps/mail/Prefs.cpp b/src/apps/mail/Prefs.cpp
index 5b5d0f652f..18c2eb1e8a 100644
--- a/src/apps/mail/Prefs.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/mail/Prefs.cpp
@@ -694,7 +694,7 @@ TPrefsWindow::_BuildReplyPreambleMenu()
 
 	menu->AddSeparatorItem();
 
-	menu->AddItem(new BMenuItem(B_TRANSLATE("%b - Line break"),
+	menu->AddItem(new BMenuItem(B_TRANSLATE("\\n - Newline"),
 		new BMessage(P_REPLY_PREAMBLE)));
 
 	return menu;