diff --git a/src/plugins/docgen/ODFDoc.py b/src/plugins/docgen/ODFDoc.py
index 8ebf9a8d3..0bfcba732 100644
--- a/src/plugins/docgen/ODFDoc.py
+++ b/src/plugins/docgen/ODFDoc.py
@@ -1216,6 +1216,9 @@ class ODFDoc(BaseDoc, TextDoc, DrawDoc):
         """
         text = str(styledtext)
         s_tags = styledtext.get_tags()
+        text = text.replace('&', '\1') # must be the first
+        text = text.replace('<', '\2')
+        text = text.replace('>', '\3')
         markuptext = self._backend.add_markup_from_styled(text, s_tags)
         # we need to know if we have new styles to add.
         # if markuptext contains : FontColor, FontFace, FontSize ...
@@ -1234,6 +1237,9 @@ class ODFDoc(BaseDoc, TextDoc, DrawDoc):
             start = m.end()
         linenb = 1
         self.start_paragraph(style_name)
+        markuptext = markuptext.replace('\1', '&amp;') # must be the first
+        markuptext = markuptext.replace('\2', '&lt;')
+        markuptext = markuptext.replace('\3', '&gt;')
         for line in markuptext.split('\n'):
             if ( linenb > 1 ):
                 self.cntnt.write('<text:line-break/>')