diff --git a/extensions/feed-panel/feed-parse.c b/extensions/feed-panel/feed-parse.c
index 4c09dc64..1c2cd3f3 100644
--- a/extensions/feed-panel/feed-parse.c
+++ b/extensions/feed-panel/feed-parse.c
@@ -33,35 +33,36 @@ feed_get_element_string (FeedParser* fparser)
     return (gchar*)xmlNodeListGetString (fparser->doc, node->children, 1);
 }
 
-void
+static void
 handle_markup_chars (void*          user_data,
                      const xmlChar* ch,
                      int            len)
 {
-    gchar** markup;
-    gchar* temp;
+    if (len > 0)
+    {
+        gchar** markup;
+        gchar* temp;
 
-    markup = (gchar**)user_data;
-    temp = g_strndup ((gchar*)ch, len);
-    *markup = (*markup) ? g_strconcat (*markup, temp, NULL) : g_strdup (temp);
-    g_free (temp);
+        markup = (gchar**)user_data;
+        temp = g_strndup ((gchar*)ch, len);
+        *markup = (*markup) ? g_strconcat (*markup, temp, NULL) : g_strdup (temp);
+        g_free (temp);
+    }
 }
 
 gchar*
-feed_get_element_markup (FeedParser* fparser)
+feed_remove_markup (gchar* markup)
 {
-    gchar* markup;
     const xmlChar* stag;
-
-    markup = feed_get_element_string (fparser);
-    if ((stag = xmlStrchr (BAD_CAST markup, '<')) && xmlStrchr (stag, '>'))
+    if (((stag = xmlStrchr (BAD_CAST markup, '<')) && xmlStrchr (stag, '>')) ||
+         xmlStrchr (BAD_CAST markup, '&'))
     {
         gchar* text = NULL;
         htmlSAXHandlerPtr psax;
 
         psax = g_new0 (htmlSAXHandler, 1);
         psax->characters = handle_markup_chars;
-        htmlSAXParseDoc (BAD_CAST markup, NULL, psax, &text);
+        htmlSAXParseDoc (BAD_CAST markup, "UTF-8", psax, &text);
         g_free (psax);
         g_free (markup);
         return text;
@@ -69,6 +70,15 @@ feed_get_element_markup (FeedParser* fparser)
     return markup;
 }
 
+gchar*
+feed_get_element_markup (FeedParser* fparser)
+{
+    gchar* markup;
+
+    markup = feed_get_element_string (fparser);
+    return feed_remove_markup (markup);
+}
+
 gint64
 feed_get_element_date (FeedParser* fparser)
 {
diff --git a/extensions/feed-panel/feed-parse.h b/extensions/feed-panel/feed-parse.h
index 84ae9f19..31685feb 100644
--- a/extensions/feed-panel/feed-parse.h
+++ b/extensions/feed-panel/feed-parse.h
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ typedef struct _FeedParser
 gchar*
 feed_get_element_string (FeedParser* fparser);
 
+gchar*
+feed_remove_markup (gchar* markup);
+
 gchar*
 feed_get_element_markup (FeedParser* fparser);
 
diff --git a/extensions/feed-panel/feed-rss.c b/extensions/feed-panel/feed-rss.c
index 03843df6..e8022634 100644
--- a/extensions/feed-panel/feed-rss.c
+++ b/extensions/feed-panel/feed-rss.c
@@ -137,11 +137,30 @@ rss_postparse_item (FeedParser* fparser)
         * Verify that the required RSS elements are added
         * (as per the spec)
         */
-        if (!katze_item_get_name (fparser->item) &&
-            !katze_item_get_text (fparser->item))
+        if (!katze_item_get_name (fparser->item))
         {
-            feed_parser_set_error (fparser, FEED_PARSE_ERROR_MISSING_ELEMENT,
-                                   _("Failed to find required RSS \"item\" elements in XML data."));
+            gchar* desc;
+
+            desc = (gchar*)katze_item_get_text (fparser->item);
+            if (!desc)
+            {
+                feed_parser_set_error (fparser, FEED_PARSE_ERROR_MISSING_ELEMENT,
+                                       _("Failed to find required RSS \"item\" elements in XML data."));
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                desc = feed_remove_markup (g_strdup (desc));
+                if (desc)
+                {
+                    katze_item_set_name (fparser->item, desc);
+                    g_free (desc);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    if ((desc = (gchar*)katze_item_get_uri (fparser->item)))
+                        katze_item_set_name (fparser->item, desc);
+                }
+            }
         }
     }