diff --git a/packages/bibtex/bibliography.lua b/packages/bibtex/bibliography.lua
index a207135b8..9bf2f686a 100644
--- a/packages/bibtex/bibliography.lua
+++ b/packages/bibtex/bibliography.lua
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ Bibliography = {
     italic = function (...)
       local t = {...}
       return function(item)
-        return Bibliography._process(item, t, "\\em{", "}")
+        return Bibliography._process(item, t, "<em>", "</em>")
       end
     end,
     parens = function (...)
diff --git a/packages/bibtex/init.lua b/packages/bibtex/init.lua
index a682a7cb4..933ad5c78 100644
--- a/packages/bibtex/init.lua
+++ b/packages/bibtex/init.lua
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ function package:registerCommands ()
       SU.warn("Unknown reference in citation "..options.key)
       return
     end
-    SILE.processString(cite, "sil")
+    SILE.processString(("<sile>%s</sile>"):format(cite), "xml")
   end)
 
   self:registerCommand("reference", function (options, content)
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ function package:registerCommands ()
       SU.warn("Unknown type @"..err.." in citation for reference "..options.key)
       return
     end
-    SILE.processString(cite, "sil")
+    SILE.processString(("<sile>%s</sile>"):format(cite), "xml")
   end)
 
 end