diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3f9f384d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+controller.py
diff --git a/custom_components/smartir/controller.py b/custom_components/smartir/controller.py
index 30758f62..c6e49cda 100644
--- a/custom_components/smartir/controller.py
+++ b/custom_components/smartir/controller.py
@@ -142,10 +142,12 @@ def check_encoding(self, encoding):
                             "by the mqtt controller.")
 
     async def send(self, command):
+        _original = command
+        _command = _original.replace("\\", "")
         """Send a command."""
         service_data = {
             'topic': self._controller_data,
-            'payload': command
+            'payload': _command
         }
 
         await self.hass.services.async_call(
@@ -183,4 +185,4 @@ async def send(self, command):
         service_data = {'command':  json.loads(command)}
 
         await self.hass.services.async_call(
-            'esphome', self._controller_data, service_data)
\ No newline at end of file
+            'esphome', self._controller_data, service_data)