diff --git a/tools/parse.go b/tools/parse.go
index d82517b..fdeefd3 100644
--- a/tools/parse.go
+++ b/tools/parse.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func ParseString(in string) any {
 	}
 
 	if strings.HasPrefix(s, "!") {
-		return strings.TrimPrefix(s, "!")
+		return s
 	}
 
 	yesno := regexp.MustCompile("^(y|Y|yes|Yes|YES|n|N|no|No|NO|true|True|TRUE|false|False|FALSE|on|On|ON|off|Off|OFF)$")
diff --git a/tools/parse_test.go b/tools/parse_test.go
index 9ff0e2e..72fc50d 100644
--- a/tools/parse_test.go
+++ b/tools/parse_test.go
@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@ func TestParse(t *testing.T) {
 		{"on-value", "on", true},
 		{"no-value", "no", false},
 		{"off-value", "off", false},
-		{"skip-parsing-num", "!42", "42"},
-		{"skip-parsing-bool", "!false", "false"},
-		{"skip-parsing-time", "!" + when.Format(time.RFC3339), when.Format(time.RFC3339)},
-		{"skip-parsing-duration", "!15 mins", "15 mins"},
+		{"skip-parsing-num", "!42", "!42"},
+		{"skip-parsing-bool", "!false", "!false"},
+		{"skip-parsing-time", "!" + when.Format(time.RFC3339), "!" + when.Format(time.RFC3339)},
+		{"skip-parsing-duration", "!15 mins", "!15 mins"},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
diff --git a/tools/write_buffer.go b/tools/write_buffer.go
index 8ae9386..b9626bc 100644
--- a/tools/write_buffer.go
+++ b/tools/write_buffer.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -27,6 +28,9 @@ func WriteValue(buff *bytes.Buffer, val any) (n int, err error) {
 			return buff.Write(o)
 		}
 	case string:
+		if strings.HasPrefix(v, "!") {
+			return buff.WriteString(strings.TrimPrefix(v, "!"))
+		}
 		return buff.WriteString(v)
 	case int:
 		return buff.WriteString(strconv.Itoa(v))
@@ -39,6 +43,9 @@ func WriteValue(buff *bytes.Buffer, val any) (n int, err error) {
 	case json.RawMessage:
 		return buff.Write(v)
 	case []byte:
+		if v[0] == '!' {
+			return buff.Write(v[1:])
+		}
 		return buff.Write(v)
 	case byte:
 		err = buff.WriteByte(v)
diff --git a/tools/write_buffer_test.go b/tools/write_buffer_test.go
index aa7e203..8d3ab1f 100644
--- a/tools/write_buffer_test.go
+++ b/tools/write_buffer_test.go
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ func TestWriteBuffer(t *testing.T) {
 		{"slice", []any{1, 2, "foo"}, `[1,2,"foo"]`, nil},
 		{"map", map[string]any{"baz": 42, "foo": "bar"}, `{"baz":42,"foo":"bar"}`, nil},
 		{"struct", struct{}{}, "", errors.New("Unsupported type struct {}")},
+		{"skip-bang-num", "!42", "42", nil},
+		{"skip-bang-bool", "!false", "false", nil},
+		{"skip-bang-time", "!" + when.Format(time.RFC3339), when.Format(time.RFC3339), nil},
+		{"skip-bang-duration", "!15 mins", "15 mins", nil},
+		{"skip-bang-bytes-num", []byte("!42"), "42", nil},
+		{"skip-bang-bytes-bool", []byte("!false"), "false", nil},
+		{"skip-bang-bytes-time", []byte("!" + when.Format(time.RFC3339)), when.Format(time.RFC3339), nil},
+		{"skip-bang-bytes-duration", []byte("!15 mins"), "15 mins", nil},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {