diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3dc5b86..b3c7c65 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ Compiles and runs under
 
 
 ## Version ##
-1.8.0  
-Last changed: 13.06.2024
+1.8.1  
+Last changed: 10.09.2024
 
 
 ## REQUIREMENTS ##
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ Optional Parameters:
      * q: quad word.  
      Expect for the string types, all values have to be passed as hex values, omitting `0x`.  
    * Find options:
-     * -ci: case independed (for ascii search only).
+     * -ci: case insensitive (for ascii search only).
  * -pid only:
    * -lpx List entire process memory layout.
    * -lpm List all process modules.
diff --git a/src/Globals.h b/src/Globals.h
index 683f149..6ebac9b 100644
--- a/src/Globals.h
+++ b/src/Globals.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 #define QUIT ('q')
 #define CONTINUE ('c')
 
-#define MAX_PAYLOAD_LN (0x200)
+#define MAX_PAYLOAD_LN (0xFFFFFFFF)
 #define FIND_FAILURE SIZE_MAX
 
 extern size_t file_size;
diff --git a/src/Writer.c b/src/Writer.c
index 324fa93..ded08bf 100644
--- a/src/Writer.c
+++ b/src/Writer.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ static void truncateFile(FILE* fp, size_t file_size, size_t ln);
 uint32_t payloadParseByte(const char* arg, uint8_t** payload)
 {
     int s;
-    uint32_t arg_ln = (uint32_t)strnlen(arg, MAX_PAYLOAD_LN);
+    uint32_t arg_ln = (uint32_t)strnlen(arg, 4);
     if ( arg_ln < 1 )
     {
         printf("Error: Payload byte has no value!\n");
@@ -276,10 +276,9 @@ uint32_t payloadParseUtf16(const char* arg, uint8_t** payload)
 {
     uint32_t i;
     size_t arg_ln = (uint32_t)strnlen(arg, MAX_PAYLOAD_LN);
-
-    // fill buffer to get the real size
-    uint8_t outb[MAX_PAYLOAD_LN*2] = {0};
-    size_t outlen = MAX_PAYLOAD_LN*2;
+    
+    size_t outlen = 0;
+    uint8_t* outb = NULL;
 
     if ( arg_ln < 1 )
     {
@@ -287,12 +286,18 @@ uint32_t payloadParseUtf16(const char* arg, uint8_t** payload)
         return 0;
     }
 
-    int s = UTF8ToUTF16LE(outb, &outlen, (uint8_t*)arg, &arg_ln);
+    // fill buffer to get the real size
+    outlen = (size_t)MAX_PAYLOAD_LN * 2;
+    outb = (uint8_t*)malloc(outlen);
+    if ( !outb )
+        return 0;
 
+    int s = UTF8ToUTF16LE(outb, &outlen, (uint8_t*)arg, &arg_ln);
     if ( s != 0 )
     {
         printf("Error (0x%x): Converting to utf16.\n", s);
-        return 0;
+        outlen = 0;
+        goto clean;
     }
 
     // alloc payload with real size
@@ -300,7 +305,8 @@ uint32_t payloadParseUtf16(const char* arg, uint8_t** payload)
     if ( p == NULL )
     {
         printf("ERROR: Allocating memory failed!\n");
-        return 0;
+        outlen = 0;
+        goto clean;
     }
 
     for ( i = 0; i < outlen; i++ )
@@ -310,6 +316,10 @@ uint32_t payloadParseUtf16(const char* arg, uint8_t** payload)
 
     *payload = p;
 
+clean:
+    if ( outb )
+        free(outb);
+
     return (uint32_t)outlen;
 }
 
@@ -340,6 +350,55 @@ uint32_t payloadParseReversedPlainBytes(const char* arg, uint8_t** payload)
     return payload_ln;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Clean byte string of spaces or \x format tags
+ */
+int cleanBytes(const char* input, char** output)
+{
+    // get max size of data
+    size_t input_ln = strlen(input);
+    
+    // alloc output buffer + terminating zero
+    char* local = (char*)malloc(input_ln+1);
+    if ( !local )
+        return -1;
+    size_t local_cb = 0;
+
+    const char* end_ptr = input + input_ln;
+    char* local_ptr = local;
+    for ( const char* input_ptr = input; input_ptr < end_ptr; input_ptr++ )
+    {
+        // skip spaces
+        if ( *input_ptr == ' ' 
+          || *input_ptr == '|'
+          || *input_ptr == '-' )
+            continue;
+        // skip "\x" marker
+        if (*input_ptr == '\\'
+            && input_ptr < end_ptr - 1
+            && *(input_ptr + 1) == 'x')
+        {
+            input_ptr++;
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        *local_ptr = *input_ptr;
+        local_ptr++;
+    }
+
+    local_cb = local_ptr - local;
+    if ( local_cb > MAX_PAYLOAD_LN )
+    {
+        free(local);
+        return -2;
+    }
+    local[local_cb] = 0;
+
+    *output = local;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * Parse the arg as plain bytes.
  * Allocates payload. Caller has to free it.
@@ -351,7 +410,7 @@ uint32_t payloadParseReversedPlainBytes(const char* arg, uint8_t** payload)
 uint32_t payloadParsePlainBytes(const char* arg, uint8_t** payload)
 {
     uint32_t i, j;
-    uint16_t arg_ln = (uint16_t)strnlen(arg, MAX_PAYLOAD_LN);
+    uint32_t arg_ln = (uint32_t)strnlen(arg, MAX_PAYLOAD_LN);
     uint8_t* p;
     char byte[3] = {0};
     uint32_t payload_ln;
diff --git a/src/Writer.h b/src/Writer.h
index 4269b0a..7b08128 100644
--- a/src/Writer.h
+++ b/src/Writer.h
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ uint32_t payloadParseReversedPlainBytes(
     uint8_t** payload
 );
 
+int cleanBytes(
+    const char* input, 
+    char** output
+);
+
 uint32_t payloadParsePlainBytes(
     const char* arg, 
     uint8_t** payload
diff --git a/src/hexter.c b/src/hexter.c
index 5275f56..ee9b790 100644
--- a/src/hexter.c
+++ b/src/hexter.c
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@
 #include "utils/Strings.h"
 
 #define BIN_NAME ("hexter")
-#define BIN_VS "1.8.0"
-#define BIN_LAST_CHANGED  "13.06.2024"
+#define BIN_VS "1.8.1"
+#define BIN_LAST_CHANGED  "10.09.2024"
 
 #define LIN_PARAM_IDENTIFIER ('-')
 #define WIN_PARAM_IDENTIFIER ('/')
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ int run(const char payload_format, const char* raw_payload)
         if ( ((mode_flags & (MODE_FLAG_FIND|MODE_FLAG_CASE_INSENSITIVE)) == (MODE_FLAG_FIND|MODE_FLAG_CASE_INSENSITIVE))
             && payload_format == FORMAT_ASCII )
         {
-            toUpperCaseA(payload, payload_ln);
+            toUpperCaseA((char*)payload, payload_ln);
         }
     }
 
@@ -763,8 +763,15 @@ uint32_t parsePayload(const char format, const char* value, uint8_t** payload)
         ln = payloadParseUtf16(value, payload);
 //  else if ( format == 'r' )
 //      ln = payloadParseReversedPlainBytes(arg, payload);
-    else if ( format == FORMAT_PLAIN_HEX_1 || format == FORMAT_PLAIN_HEX_2 )
-        ln = payloadParsePlainBytes(value, payload);
+    else if (format == FORMAT_PLAIN_HEX_1 || format == FORMAT_PLAIN_HEX_2)
+    {
+        char* cleaned_value = NULL;
+        int s = cleanBytes(value, &cleaned_value);
+        if ( s != 0 )
+            return 0;
+        ln = payloadParsePlainBytes(cleaned_value, payload);
+        free(cleaned_value);
+    }
     else
     {
         printf("ERROR: %c is not a supported format!\n", format);
diff --git a/src/utils/Strings.c b/src/utils/Strings.c
index 9955d96..27b04b7 100644
--- a/src/utils/Strings.c
+++ b/src/utils/Strings.c
@@ -184,7 +184,6 @@ int toUpperCaseCA(char* c)
 
 int toUpperCaseA(char* buffer, size_t size)
 {
-    size_t i;
     char* end = buffer + size;
     char* ptr = buffer;