diff --git a/lib/core/settings.py b/lib/core/settings.py
index d444efd6a..518cb4777 100644
--- a/lib/core/settings.py
+++ b/lib/core/settings.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from thirdparty import six
 from thirdparty.six import unichr as _unichr
 
 # sqlmap version (<major>.<minor>.<month>.<monthly commit>)
-VERSION = "1.6.7.2"
+VERSION = "1.6.8.0"
 TYPE = "dev" if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] != '0' else "stable"
 TYPE_COLORS = {"dev": 33, "stable": 90, "pip": 34}
 VERSION_STRING = "sqlmap/%s#%s" % ('.'.join(VERSION.split('.')[:-1]) if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] == '0' else VERSION, TYPE)
diff --git a/lib/request/connect.py b/lib/request/connect.py
index f862b18fc..0e6eae9b5 100644
--- a/lib/request/connect.py
+++ b/lib/request/connect.py
@@ -1544,7 +1544,10 @@ class Connect(object):
                         if payload is None:
                             value = value.replace(kb.customInjectionMark, "")
                         else:
-                            value = re.sub(r"\w*%s" % re.escape(kb.customInjectionMark), payload, value)
+                            try:
+                                value = re.sub(r"\w*%s" % re.escape(kb.customInjectionMark), payload, value)
+                            except re.error:
+                                value = re.sub(r"\w*%s" % re.escape(kb.customInjectionMark), re.escape(payload), value)
                     return value
                 page, headers, code = Connect.getPage(url=_(kb.secondReq[0]), post=_(kb.secondReq[2]), method=kb.secondReq[1], cookie=kb.secondReq[3], silent=silent, auxHeaders=dict(auxHeaders, **dict(kb.secondReq[4])), response=response, raise404=False, ignoreTimeout=timeBasedCompare, refreshing=True)