diff --git a/cellpose/gui/io.py b/cellpose/gui/io.py
index 73eb0e6c..9a306943 100644
--- a/cellpose/gui/io.py
+++ b/cellpose/gui/io.py
@@ -124,11 +124,18 @@ def _load_image(parent, filename=None, load_seg=True, load_3D=False):
                       load_3D=load_3D)
             return
         elif parent.autoloadMasks.isChecked():
-            mask_file = os.path.splitext(filename)[0] + "_masks" + os.path.splitext(
-                filename)[-1]
-            mask_file = os.path.splitext(filename)[
-                0] + "_masks.tif" if not os.path.isfile(mask_file) else mask_file
-            load_mask = True if os.path.isfile(mask_file) else False
+            base = os.path.splitext(filename)[0]
+            ext = os.path.splitext(filename)[-1]
+            candidates = list(dict.fromkeys([
+                base + "_cp_masks.png",
+                base + "_cp_masks.tif",
+                base + "_cp_masks" + ext,
+                base + "_masks" + ext,
+                base + "_masks.tif",
+                base + "_masks.png",
+            ]))
+            mask_file = next((f for f in candidates if os.path.isfile(f)), None)
+            load_mask = mask_file is not None
     try:
         print(f"GUI_INFO: loading image: {filename}")
         if not load_3D:
diff --git a/cellpose/io.py b/cellpose/io.py
index 1e7a369b..111c44a3 100644
--- a/cellpose/io.py
+++ b/cellpose/io.py
@@ -410,17 +410,18 @@ def get_image_files(folder, mask_filter, imf=None, look_one_level_down=False):
 
     folders = []
     if look_one_level_down:
-        folders = natsorted(glob.glob(os.path.join(folder, "*/")))
+        folders = natsorted(glob.glob(os.path.join(glob.escape(folder), "*/")))
     folders.append(folder)
     exts = [".png", ".jpg", ".jpeg", ".tif", ".tiff", ".flex", ".dax", ".nd2", ".nrrd"]
     l0 = 0
     al = 0
     for folder in folders:
-        all_files = glob.glob(folder + "/*")
+        escaped = glob.escape(folder)
+        all_files = glob.glob(escaped + "/*")
         al += len(all_files)
         for ext in exts:
-            image_names.extend(glob.glob(folder + f"/*{imf}{ext}"))
-            image_names.extend(glob.glob(folder + f"/*{imf}{ext.upper()}"))
+            image_names.extend(glob.glob(escaped + f"/*{imf}{ext}"))
+            image_names.extend(glob.glob(escaped + f"/*{imf}{ext.upper()}"))
         l0 += len(image_names)
 
     # return error if no files found