diff --git a/src/PhpWord/Writer/Word2007/Element/AbstractElement.php b/src/PhpWord/Writer/Word2007/Element/AbstractElement.php
index 2c200f81..3b6432ed 100644
--- a/src/PhpWord/Writer/Word2007/Element/AbstractElement.php
+++ b/src/PhpWord/Writer/Word2007/Element/AbstractElement.php
@@ -167,6 +167,6 @@ abstract class AbstractElement
      */
     protected function getText($text)
     {
-        return String::controlCharacterPHP2OOXML(htmlspecialchars($text));
+        return String::controlCharacterPHP2OOXML($text);
     }
 }