diff --git a/bootstrapvz/base/fs/partitionmaps/abstract.py b/bootstrapvz/base/fs/partitionmaps/abstract.py
index 407eecf..5278110 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/base/fs/partitionmaps/abstract.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/base/fs/partitionmaps/abstract.py
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ class AbstractPartitionMap(FSMProxy):
             # Ask kpartx how the partitions will be mapped before actually attaching them.
             mappings = log_check_call(['kpartx', '-l', volume.device_path])
             import re
-            regexp = re.compile('^(?P<name>.+[^\d](?P<p_idx>\d+)) : '
-                                '(?P<start_blk>\d) (?P<num_blks>\d+) '
-                                '{device_path} (?P<blk_offset>\d+)$'
+            regexp = re.compile('^(?P<name>.+[^\\d](?P<p_idx>\\d+)) : '
+                                '(?P<start_blk>\\d) (?P<num_blks>\\d+) '
+                                '{device_path} (?P<blk_offset>\\d+)$'
                                 .format(device_path=volume.device_path))
             log_check_call(['kpartx', '-as', volume.device_path])
 
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/base/pkg/sourceslist.py b/bootstrapvz/base/pkg/sourceslist.py
index 76c9daa..2f8fa4f 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/base/pkg/sourceslist.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/base/pkg/sourceslist.py
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ class Source(object):
         # The format is taken from `man sources.list`
         # or: http://manpages.debian.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi?sektion=5&query=sources.list&apropos=0&manpath=sid&locale=en
         import re
-        regexp = re.compile('^(?P<type>deb|deb-src)\s+'
-                            '(\[\s*(?P<options>.+\S)?\s*\]\s+)?'
-                            '(?P<uri>\S+)\s+'
-                            '(?P<distribution>\S+)'
-                            '(\s+(?P<components>.+\S))?\s*$')
+        regexp = re.compile('^(?P<type>deb|deb-src)\\s+'
+                            '(\\[\\s*(?P<options>.+\\S)?\\s*\\]\\s+)?'
+                            '(?P<uri>\\S+)\\s+'
+                            '(?P<distribution>\\S+)'
+                            '(\\s+(?P<components>.+\\S))?\\s*$')
         match = regexp.match(line).groupdict()
         if match is None:
             from .exceptions import SourceError
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/bytes.py b/bootstrapvz/common/bytes.py
index 2ec7b91..3f29525 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/bytes.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/bytes.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Bytes(object):
     @staticmethod
     def parse(qty_str):
         import re
-        regex = re.compile('^(?P<qty>\d+)(?P<unit>[KMGT]i?B|B)$')
+        regex = re.compile('^(?P<qty>\\d+)(?P<unit>[KMGT]i?B|B)$')
         parsed = regex.match(qty_str)
         if parsed is None:
             raise UnitError('Unable to parse ' + qty_str)
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/fs/__init__.py b/bootstrapvz/common/fs/__init__.py
index 300765a..191dc73 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/fs/__init__.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/fs/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 def get_partitions():
     import re
-    regexp = re.compile('^ *(?P<major>\d+) *(?P<minor>\d+) *(?P<num_blks>\d+) (?P<dev_name>\S+)$')
+    regexp = re.compile('^ *(?P<major>\\d+) *(?P<minor>\\d+) *(?P<num_blks>\\d+) (?P<dev_name>\\S+)$')
     matches = {}
     path = '/proc/partitions'
     with open(path) as partitions:
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/host.py b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/host.py
index 8285b81..64b41c3 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/host.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/common/tasks/host.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class CheckExternalCommands(Task):
             log.debug('Checking availability of ' + command)
             path = find_executable(command)
             if path is None or not os.access(path, os.X_OK):
-                if re.match('^https?:\/\/', package):
+                if re.match('^https?:\\/\\/', package):
                     msg = ('The command `{command}\' is not available, '
                            'you can download the software at `{package}\'.'
                            .format(command=command, package=package))
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/cloud_init/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/cloud_init/tasks.py
index ac4bf89..3382237 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/cloud_init/tasks.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/cloud_init/tasks.py
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ class SetGroups(Task):
         from bootstrapvz.common.tools import sed_i
         cloud_cfg = os.path.join(info.root, 'etc/cloud/cloud.cfg')
         groups = info.manifest.plugins['cloud_init']['groups']
-        search = ('^     groups: \[adm, audio, cdrom, dialout, floppy, video,'
-                  ' plugdev, dip\]$')
+        search = ('^     groups: \\[adm, audio, cdrom, dialout, floppy, video,'
+                  ' plugdev, dip\\]$')
         replace = ('     groups: [adm, audio, cdrom, dialout, floppy, video,'
                    ' plugdev, dip, {groups}]').format(groups=', '.join(groups))
         sed_i(cloud_cfg, search, replace)
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class DisableModules(Task):
             if patterns != "":
                 patterns = patterns + "|" + pattern
             else:
-                patterns = "^\s+-\s+(" + pattern
+                patterns = "^\\s+-\\s+(" + pattern
         patterns = patterns + ")$"
         regex = re.compile(patterns)
 
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/minimize_size/tasks/dpkg.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/minimize_size/tasks/dpkg.py
index 48b2f3e..afd920a 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/minimize_size/tasks/dpkg.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/minimize_size/tasks/dpkg.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class CreateBootstrapFilterScripts(Task):
         # The pattern matching when excluding is needed in order to filter
         # everything below e.g. /usr/share/locale but not the folder itself
         filter_lists = info._minimize_size['bootstrap_filter']
-        exclude_list = '\|'.join(map(lambda p: '.' + p + '.\+', filter_lists['exclude']))
+        exclude_list = '\\|'.join(map(lambda p: '.' + p + '.\\+', filter_lists['exclude']))
         include_list = '\n'.join(map(lambda p: '.' + p, filter_lists['include']))
         sed_i(filter_script, r'EXCLUDE_PATTERN', exclude_list)
         sed_i(filter_script, r'INCLUDE_PATHS', include_list)
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/ntp/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/ntp/tasks.py
index 9e6c7f9..2fb31b9 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/ntp/tasks.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/ntp/tasks.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class SetNtpServers(Task):
         import re
         ntp_path = os.path.join(info.root, 'etc/ntp.conf')
         servers = list(info.manifest.plugins['ntp']['servers'])
-        debian_ntp_server = re.compile('.*[0-9]\.debian\.pool\.ntp\.org.*')
+        debian_ntp_server = re.compile('.*[0-9]\\.debian\\.pool\\.ntp\\.org.*')
         for line in fileinput.input(files=ntp_path, inplace=True):
             # Will write all the specified servers on the first match, then supress all other default servers
             if re.match(debian_ntp_server, line):
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/puppet/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/puppet/tasks.py
index 2607a76..58d9424 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/plugins/puppet/tasks.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/puppet/tasks.py
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class ApplyPuppetManifest(Task):
         log_check_call(['chroot', info.root, 'puppet', 'apply', '--verbose', '--debug', manifest_path])
         os.remove(manifest_dst)
         hosts_path = os.path.join(info.root, 'etc/hosts')
-        sed_i(hosts_path, '127.0.0.1\s*{hostname}\n?'.format(hostname=hostname), '')
+        sed_i(hosts_path, '127.0.0.1\\s*{hostname}\n?'.format(hostname=hostname), '')
 
 
 class EnableAgent(Task):
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/providers/ec2/tasks/boot.py b/bootstrapvz/providers/ec2/tasks/boot.py
index 15426a5..9ef6493 100644
--- a/bootstrapvz/providers/ec2/tasks/boot.py
+++ b/bootstrapvz/providers/ec2/tasks/boot.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class CreatePVGrubCustomRule(Task):
             grub_device = 'GRUB_DEVICE=/dev/xvda' + str(root_idx)
             sed_i(script_dst, '^GRUB_DEVICE=/dev/xvda$', grub_device)
             grub_root = '\troot (hd0,{idx})'.format(idx=root_idx - 1)
-            sed_i(script_dst, '^\troot \(hd0\)$', grub_root)
+            sed_i(script_dst, r'^\troot \(hd0\)$', grub_root)
 
         if info.manifest.volume['backing'] == 's3':
             from bootstrapvz.common.tools import sed_i