--- /lib/rcscripts/net.modules.d/iwconfig
+++ /lib/rcscripts/net.modules.d/iwconfig
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@
 		return 1
 	fi
 	dessid=${ESSID//\\\\/\\\\}
+	ESSIDVAR=${ESSID//[![:word:]]/_}
 
 	# We only change the mode if it's not the same
 	local cur_mode=$( iwconfig_get_mode ${iface} )
@@ -212,9 +213,8 @@
 	fi
 
 	key=$( iwconfig_get_wep_key )
-	e=$( iwconfig ${iface} key ${key} 2>&1 )
+	e=$( eval "iwconfig ${iface} key ${key} 2>&1" )
 	if [[ -n ${e} && ${key} != off ]]; then
-		e=$( get_essid_var ${essid} )
 		ewarn "${iface} does not support setting keys"
 		ewarn "or the parameter \"mac_key_${ESSIDVAR}\" or \"key_${ESSIDVAR}\" is incorrect"
 	fi
@@ -335,11 +335,10 @@
 			key="off"
 			vewarn "\"${dessid}\" is not WEP enabled - ignoring setting"
 		fi
-		e=$( iwconfig ${iface} key ${key} 2>&1 )
+		e=$( eval "iwconfig ${iface} key ${key} 2>&1" )
 		if [[ -n ${e} && ${key} != off ]]; then
-			e=$( iwconfig_get_essid_var ${essid} )
 			ewarn "${iface} does not support setting keys"
-			ewarn "or the parameter \"mac_key_${e}\" or \"key_${e}\" is incorrect"
+			ewarn "or the parameter \"mac_key_${ESSIDVAR}\" or \"key_${ESSIDVAR}\" is incorrect"
 			return 1
 		fi
 		[[ ${key} != off ]] && w=$( iwconfig_get_wep_status ${iface} )