diff --git a/lib/carto/tree/definition.js b/lib/carto/tree/definition.js
index bfe4fd0..231f6a4 100644
--- a/lib/carto/tree/definition.js
+++ b/lib/carto/tree/definition.js
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ tree.Definition.prototype.symbolizersToXML = function(env, symbolizers, zoom) {
         }
         if (selfclosing) {
             xml += '/>\n';
-        } else {
-            if (tagcontent.indexOf('<Format') != -1) {
+        } else if (tagcontent) {
+            if (tagcontent.indexOf('<') != -1) {
                 xml += '>' + tagcontent + '</' + name + '>\n';
             } else {
                 xml += '><![CDATA[' + tagcontent + ']]></' + name + '>\n';
diff --git a/test/errorhandling/issue297.mss b/test/errorhandling/issue297.mss
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a406488
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/errorhandling/issue297.mss
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#t {
+  text-name: invalid;
+  text-face-name: "Dejagnu";
+}
diff --git a/test/errorhandling/issue297.result b/test/errorhandling/issue297.result
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..422c58e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/errorhandling/issue297.result
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+issue297.mss:2:2 Invalid value for text-name, the type expression is expected. invalid (of type keyword)  was given.