diff --git a/chordbook.tex b/chordbook.tex
index 222cfd14..37793a34 100644
--- a/chordbook.tex
+++ b/chordbook.tex
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@
 \showindex{Index des chansons}{titleidx}
 \showindex{Index des auteurs}{authidx}
 
+% desactivate ':' as an active character from babel[french]
+\shorthandoff{:} 
+
 \songsection{Chansons}
 \begin{songs}{titleidx,authidx}
   \input{songs.sbd}
diff --git a/songs.sty b/songs.sty
index 48f13df8..90d99391 100644
--- a/songs.sty
+++ b/songs.sty
@@ -2618,7 +2618,7 @@
   }%
   \SB@gettabindfalse%
 }
-\newcommand\SB@ctoken{} \def\SB@ctoken{,}
+\newcommand\SB@ctoken{} \def\SB@ctoken{:}
 \newcommand\SB@xtoken{} \def\SB@xtoken{X}
 \newcommand\SB@otoken{} \def\SB@otoken{O}
 \newcommand\SB@tokenz{} \def\SB@tokenz{0}