diff --git a/IPython/core/macro.py b/IPython/core/macro.py
index 02857ea31d7..6f1f45885ad 100644
--- a/IPython/core/macro.py
+++ b/IPython/core/macro.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class Macro(IPyAutocall):
 
     def __init__(self,data):
         """store the macro value, as a single string which can be executed"""
-        self.value = ''.join(data).rstrip()+'\n'
+        self.value = '\n'.join(data).rstrip()+'\n'
         
     def __str__(self):
         return self.value
diff --git a/IPython/core/magic.py b/IPython/core/magic.py
index 12df58c5531..fde0420da9e 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magic.py
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ def extract_input_slices(self,slices,raw=False):
             else:
                 ini = int(chunk)
                 fin = ini+1
-            cmds.append(''.join(hist[ini:fin]))
+            cmds.append('\n'.join(hist[ini:fin]))
         return cmds
             
     def arg_err(self,func):
@@ -2013,10 +2013,9 @@ def magic_save(self,parameter_s = ''):
             if ans.lower() not in ['y','yes']:
                 print 'Operation cancelled.'
                 return
-        cmds = ''.join(self.extract_input_slices(ranges,opts.has_key('r')))
-        f = file(fname,'w')
-        f.write(cmds)
-        f.close()
+        cmds = '\n'.join(self.extract_input_slices(ranges,opts.has_key('r')))
+        with open(fname,'w') as f:
+            f.write(cmds)
         print 'The following commands were written to file `%s`:' % fname
         print cmds