diff --git a/notebook/params.py b/notebook/params.py
index 06bd0935b95e9b1827278405ceecb05c2144588c..5042d1303e9f61cce5e4372bc46081d9b820c2ac 100644
--- a/notebook/params.py
+++ b/notebook/params.py
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ def set_html_link_labels( text ):
 
 # mkdn=True: markdown, otherwise HTML
 def set_link_labels_gen( text, mkdn ):
-    regExp = '^(.*?)(\[?\[?[0-9]{8}(a|b)?-NOOR\]?\]?)(.*)$'
+    #regExp = '^(.*?)(\[?\[?[0-9]{8}(a|b)?-NOOR\]?\]?)(.*)$'
+    regExp = r"^(.*?)(\[?\[?[0-9]{8}(a|b)?-NOOR\]?\]?)(.*)$"
     lookForLabels = True;
     newText = ''
     while lookForLabels: