diff --git a/source/FluidXml/FluidInsertionHandler.php b/source/FluidXml/FluidInsertionHandler.php
index f47fd46..23b5b21 100644
--- a/source/FluidXml/FluidInsertionHandler.php
+++ b/source/FluidXml/FluidInsertionHandler.php
@@ -269,9 +269,15 @@ protected function insertStringSimple($parent, $k, $v, $fn): array
                 // The user has passed an element name and an element value:
                 // [ 'element' => 'Element content' ]
 
-                $el = $this->createElement($k, $v);
+                $el = $this->createElement($k);
                 $el = $fn($parent, $el);
 
+                // createTextNode escapes XML special characters (&, <, >, etc.)
+                // DOMElement's constructor does not, so we avoid passing value there.
+                if ($v !== null && $v !== '') {
+                        $el->appendChild($this->dom->createTextNode((string) $v));
+                }
+
                 return [ $el ];
         }
 
diff --git a/specs/FluidXml.php b/specs/FluidXml.php
index 6cac1ef..7dd9bca 100644
--- a/specs/FluidXml.php
+++ b/specs/FluidXml.php
@@ -1181,6 +1181,32 @@ function addchild($parent, $i)
                         assert_equal_xml($xml, $expected);
                 });
 
+                it('should escape XML special characters in text content using the argument syntax', function () {
+                        $xml = new FluidXml();
+                        $xml->addChild('child1', 'a & b')
+                            ->addChild('parent', true)
+                                ->addChild('child2', 'a < b');
+
+                        $expected = "<doc>\n"
+                                  . "  <child1>a &amp; b</child1>\n"
+                                  . "  <parent>\n"
+                                  . "    <child2>a &lt; b</child2>\n"
+                                  . "  </parent>\n"
+                                  . "</doc>";
+                        assert_equal_xml($xml, $expected);
+                });
+
+                it('should escape XML special characters in text content using the array syntax', function () {
+                        $xml = new FluidXml();
+                        $xml->addChild(['child1' => 'Hello & World', 'child2' => 'Tom & Jerry']);
+
+                        $expected = "<doc>\n"
+                                  . "  <child1>Hello &amp; World</child1>\n"
+                                  . "  <child2>Tom &amp; Jerry</child2>\n"
+                                  . "</doc>";
+                        assert_equal_xml($xml, $expected);
+                });
+
                 it('should add many children with and without a value', function () {
                         $xml = new FluidXml();
                         $xml->addChild(['child1', 'child2', 'child3' => 'value3', 'child4' => 'value4'])