diff --git a/htmlSanityCheck-core/src/main/java/org/aim42/htmlsanitycheck/tools/Web.java b/htmlSanityCheck-core/src/main/java/org/aim42/htmlsanitycheck/tools/Web.java
index b1ae241e..9450ab65 100644
--- a/htmlSanityCheck-core/src/main/java/org/aim42/htmlsanitycheck/tools/Web.java
+++ b/htmlSanityCheck-core/src/main/java/org/aim42/htmlsanitycheck/tools/Web.java
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ public static boolean isCrossReference(String xref) {
 
     }
 
-    private static final Pattern ILLEGAL_CHARS_REGEX = Pattern.compile("[ *$]");
+    private static final Pattern ILLEGAL_CHARS_REGEX = Pattern.compile("[ *$<>]");
 
     /**
      * helper to identify invalid characters in link
diff --git a/htmlSanityCheck-core/src/test/groovy/org/aim42/htmlsanitycheck/tools/WebSpec.groovy b/htmlSanityCheck-core/src/test/groovy/org/aim42/htmlsanitycheck/tools/WebSpec.groovy
index a3a44221..0fb0c434 100644
--- a/htmlSanityCheck-core/src/test/groovy/org/aim42/htmlsanitycheck/tools/WebSpec.groovy
+++ b/htmlSanityCheck-core/src/test/groovy/org/aim42/htmlsanitycheck/tools/WebSpec.groovy
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class WebSpec extends Specification {
 
         true                 | "#Context Analysis" // regression test, contains blank
         true                 | "*Context-Analysis" // * is not allowed
-
+        true                 | "../concepts/workflow.html#<em>catalog</em>" // < etc. ist not allowed
     }