diff --git a/include/text.php b/include/text.php
index f8bbfcee24..2d265e6eee 100644
--- a/include/text.php
+++ b/include/text.php
@@ -1138,9 +1138,9 @@ function smilies($s, $sample = false) {
 	);
 
 	$icons = array(
-		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-heart.gif" alt="<3" />',
-		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-brokenheart.gif" alt="</3" />',
-		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-brokenheart.gif" alt="<\\3" />',
+		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-heart.gif" alt="&lt;3" />',
+		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-brokenheart.gif" alt="&lt;/3" />',
+		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-brokenheart.gif" alt="&lt;\\3" />',
 		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-smile.gif" alt=":-)" />',
 		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-wink.gif" alt=";-)" />',
 		'<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-frown.gif" alt=":-(" />',
@@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ function preg_heart($x) {
 		return $x[0];
 	$t = '';
 	for($cnt = 0; $cnt < strlen($x[1]); $cnt ++)
-		$t .= '<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-heart.gif" alt="<3" />';
+		$t .= '<img class="smiley" src="' . $a->get_baseurl() . '/images/smiley-heart.gif" alt="&lt;3" />';
 	$r =  str_replace($x[0],$t,$x[0]);
 	return $r;
 }