diff --git a/examples/sokol_demo/sokol_demo.odin b/examples/sokol_demo/sokol_demo.odin
index eeb0cb2..b2dc49a 100644
--- a/examples/sokol_demo/sokol_demo.odin
+++ b/examples/sokol_demo/sokol_demo.odin
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ init :: proc "c" ()
 		case .DUMMY: fmt.println(">> using dummy backend")
 	}
 
-	ve.startup( & demo_ctx.ve_ctx, .STB_TrueType, allocator = context.allocator, snap_shape_position = false )
+	ve.startup( & demo_ctx.ve_ctx, .STB_TrueType, allocator = context.allocator, snap_shape_position = false, use_advanced_text_shaper = true )
 	ve_sokol.setup_gfx_objects( & demo_ctx.render_ctx, & demo_ctx.ve_ctx, vert_cap = 1024 * 1024, index_cap = 1024 * 1024 )
 
 	error : mem.Allocator_Error
@@ -478,10 +478,10 @@ etiam dignissim diam quis enim. Convallis convallis tellus id interdum.`
 			draw_text_string_pos_norm("그들의 장비와 기구는 모두 살아 있다.", font_demo_korean, 36, {0.3, current_scroll - (section_start + 0.92)}, COLOR_WHITE)
 
 			draw_text_string_pos_norm("Arabic", font_print, 19, {0.2, current_scroll - (section_start + 0.96)}, COLOR_WHITE)
-			draw_text_string_pos_norm("حب السماء لا تمطر غير الأحلام. This one needs HarfBuzz to work!", font_demo_arabic, 24, {0.3, current_scroll - (section_start + 0.96)}, COLOR_WHITE)
+			draw_text_string_pos_norm("حب السماء لا تمطر غير الأحلام.    (This one needs HarfBuzz to work!)", font_demo_arabic, 24, {0.3, current_scroll - (section_start + 0.96)}, COLOR_WHITE)
 
 			draw_text_string_pos_norm("Hebrew", font_print, 19, {0.2, current_scroll - (section_start + 1.0)}, COLOR_WHITE)
-			draw_text_string_pos_norm("אז הגיע הלילה של כוכב השביט הראשון. This one needs HarfBuzz to work!", font_demo_hebrew, 22, {0.3, current_scroll - (section_start + 1.0)}, COLOR_WHITE)
+			draw_text_string_pos_norm("אז הגיע הלילה של כוכב השביט הראשון.    (This one needs HarfBuzz to work!)", font_demo_hebrew, 22, {0.3, current_scroll - (section_start + 1.0)}, COLOR_WHITE)
 		}
 
 		// Zoom Test
diff --git a/scripts/build_sokol_demo.ps1 b/scripts/build_sokol_demo.ps1
index d9cdbde..3f309fc 100644
--- a/scripts/build_sokol_demo.ps1
+++ b/scripts/build_sokol_demo.ps1
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ function build-SokolBackendDemo
 	# $build_args += $flag_optimize_minimal
 	# $build_args += $flag_optimize_speed
 	$build_args += $falg_optimize_aggressive
-	# $build_args += $flag_debug
+	$build_args += $flag_debug
 	$build_args += $flag_pdb_name + $pdb
 	$build_args += $flag_subsystem + 'windows'
 	# $build_args += ($flag_extra_linker_flags + $linker_args )
diff --git a/vefontcache/shaper.odin b/vefontcache/shaper.odin
index 33b55d5..96f1b80 100644
--- a/vefontcache/shaper.odin
+++ b/vefontcache/shaper.odin
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ shaper_shape_from_text :: proc( ctx : ^ShaperContext, info : ^ShaperInfo, output
 		harfbuzz.buffer_set_language( buffer, harfbuzz.language_get_default() )
 
 		// Perform the actual shaping of this run using HarfBuzz.
+		harfbuzz.buffer_set_content_type( buffer, harfbuzz.Buffer_Content_Type.UNICODE )
 		harfbuzz.shape( font, buffer, nil, 0 )
 
 		// Loop over glyphs and append to output buffer.
@@ -141,21 +142,23 @@ shaper_shape_from_text :: proc( ctx : ^ShaperContext, info : ^ShaperInfo, output
 
 	for codepoint, byte_offset in text_utf8
 	{
-		script := harfbuzz.unicode_script( hb_ucfunc, cast(harfbuzz.Codepoint) codepoint )
+		hb_codepoint := cast(harfbuzz.Codepoint) codepoint
+
+		script := harfbuzz.unicode_script( hb_ucfunc, hb_codepoint )
 
 		// Can we continue the current run?
 		ScriptKind :: harfbuzz.Script
 
 		special_script : b32 = script == ScriptKind.UNKNOWN || script == ScriptKind.INHERITED || script == ScriptKind.COMMON
-		if special_script || script == current_script {
-			harfbuzz.buffer_add( ctx.hb_buffer, cast(harfbuzz.Codepoint) codepoint, codepoint == '\n' ? 1 : 0 )
+		if special_script || script == current_script || byte_offset == 0 {
+			harfbuzz.buffer_add( ctx.hb_buffer, hb_codepoint, codepoint == '\n' ? 1 : 0 )
 			current_script = special_script ? current_script : script
 			continue
 		}
 
 		// End current run since we've encountered a script change.
 		shape_run( ctx.hb_buffer, current_script, info.font, output, & position, & vertical_position, ascent, descent, line_gap, size, size_scale )
-		harfbuzz.buffer_add( ctx.hb_buffer, cast(harfbuzz.Codepoint) codepoint, codepoint == '\n' ? 1 : 0 )
+		harfbuzz.buffer_add( ctx.hb_buffer, hb_codepoint, codepoint == '\n' ? 1 : 0 )
 		current_script = script
 	}
 
diff --git a/vefontcache/vefontcache.odin b/vefontcache/vefontcache.odin
index df76e5f..ad2dc31 100644
--- a/vefontcache/vefontcache.odin
+++ b/vefontcache/vefontcache.odin
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ startup :: proc( ctx : ^Context, parser_kind : ParserKind,
 	context.allocator = ctx.backing
 
 	snap_shape_pos = snap_shape_position
+	text_shape_adv = use_advanced_text_shaper
 
 	if default_curve_quality == 0 {
 		default_curve_quality = 3