diff --git a/changelog b/changelog
index e687e5c7324..9d36fa3a8e2 100644
--- a/changelog
+++ b/changelog
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Version 1.7.2+svn:
      leader is on a keep. (bug #13856 and #13855)
    * wmllint updated to accomodate new drake names. Gladiator changes must
      still be done by hand.
+   * No longer "crash" upon invalid pango markup
 
 Version 1.7.2:
  * Campaigns:
diff --git a/src/gui/auxiliary/canvas.cpp b/src/gui/auxiliary/canvas.cpp
index 4cda68872ed..58ea3b3ff45 100644
--- a/src/gui/auxiliary/canvas.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/auxiliary/canvas.cpp
@@ -884,9 +884,13 @@ void ttext::draw(surface& canvas,
 	}
 
 	static font::ttext text_renderer;
+	if(!text_renderer.set_text(text, text_markup_(variables))) {
+		ERR_GUI_D << "Text: Invalid markup in '"
+				<< text << "' rendered as is.\n";
+		text_renderer.set_text(text, false);
+	}
 
-	text_renderer.set_text(text, text_markup_(variables)).
-		set_font_size(font_size_).
+	text_renderer.set_font_size(font_size_).
 		set_font_style(font_style_).
 		set_foreground_colour(colour_).
 		set_maximum_width(maximum_width_(variables)).
@@ -898,7 +902,7 @@ void ttext::draw(surface& canvas,
 
 	surface surf = text_renderer.render();
 	if(surf->w == 0) {
-		DBG_GUI_D << "Text: Rendering '" <<
+		DBG_GUI_D  << "Text: Rendering '" <<
 				text << "' resulted in an empty canvas, leave.\n";
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/src/storyscreen/render.cpp b/src/storyscreen/render.cpp
index 6319fad6ed4..6219d5d7cc4 100644
--- a/src/storyscreen/render.cpp
+++ b/src/storyscreen/render.cpp
@@ -268,8 +268,13 @@ void part_ui::render_title_box()
 	titlebox_max_h = base_rect_.h - 2*titlebox_padding;
 
 	font::ttext t;
-	t.set_text(titletxt, true)
-		 .set_font_style(font::ttext::STYLE_NORMAL)
+	if(!t.set_text(titletxt, true)) {
+		ERR_NG << "Text: Invalid markup in '"
+				<< titletxt << "' rendered as is.\n";
+		t.set_text(titletxt, false);
+	}
+
+	t.set_font_style(font::ttext::STYLE_NORMAL)
 		 .set_font_size(titlebox_font_size)
 		 .set_foreground_colour(titlebox_font_color)
 		 .set_maximum_width(titlebox_max_w)
@@ -373,8 +378,12 @@ void part_ui::render_story_box()
 	bool skip = false, last_key = true;
 
 	font::ttext t;
-	t.set_text(p_.text(), true)
-		 .set_font_style(font::ttext::STYLE_NORMAL)
+	if(!t.set_text(p_.text(), true)) {
+		ERR_NG << "Text: Invalid markup in '"
+				<< p_.text() << "' rendered as is.\n";
+		t.set_text(p_.text(), false);
+	}
+	t.set_font_style(font::ttext::STYLE_NORMAL)
 		 .set_foreground_colour(storybox_font_color)
 		 .set_maximum_width(max_width)
 		 .set_maximum_height(max_height);
diff --git a/src/text.cpp b/src/text.cpp
index 73d50a97308..94b4c899ee4 100644
--- a/src/text.cpp
+++ b/src/text.cpp
@@ -254,12 +254,17 @@ gui2::tpoint ttext::get_column_line(const gui2::tpoint& position) const
 	}
 }
 
-ttext& ttext::set_text(const std::string& text, const bool markedup)
+bool ttext::set_text(const std::string& text, const bool markedup)
 {
 	if(markedup != markedup_text_ || text != text_) {
 		assert(layout_);
 
 		if(markedup) {
+			if(!pango_parse_markup(text.c_str(), text.size()
+						, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)) {
+
+				return false;
+			}
 			pango_layout_set_markup(layout_, text.c_str(), text.size());
 		} else {
 			/*
@@ -277,7 +282,7 @@ ttext& ttext::set_text(const std::string& text, const bool markedup)
 		surface_dirty_ = true;
 	}
 
-	return *this;
+	return true;
 }
 
 ttext& ttext::set_font_size(const unsigned font_size)
diff --git a/src/text.hpp b/src/text.hpp
index 925dbe86b35..4e7e96c4535 100644
--- a/src/text.hpp
+++ b/src/text.hpp
@@ -148,9 +148,22 @@ public:
 	 */
 	size_t get_length() const { return length_; }
 
+	/**
+	 * Sets the text to render.
+	 *
+	 * @param text                The text to render.
+	 * @param markedup            Should the text be rendered with pango
+	 *                            markup. If the markup is invalid it's
+	 *                            rendered as text without markup.
+	 * 
+	 * @returns                   The status, if rendered as markup and the
+	 *                            markup contains errors, false is returned
+	 *                            else true.
+	 */
+	bool set_text(const std::string& text, const bool markedup);
+
 	/***** ***** ***** ***** Setters / getters ***** ***** ***** *****/
 
-	ttext& set_text(const std::string& text, const bool markedup);
 	const std::string& text() const { return text_; }
 
 	ttext& set_font_size(const unsigned font_size);