diff --git a/categories.py b/categories.py
index 2d490dfc0..0bf36fda3 100644
--- a/categories.py
+++ b/categories.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ def _validHashtagCategory(category: str) -> bool:
     if not category:
         return False
 
-    invalidChars = (',', ' ', '<', ';', '\\', '"')
+    invalidChars = (',', ' ', '<', ';', '\\', '"', '&')
     for ch in invalidChars:
         if ch in category:
             return False
diff --git a/webapp_hashtagswarm.py b/webapp_hashtagswarm.py
index e898ba563..70484096d 100644
--- a/webapp_hashtagswarm.py
+++ b/webapp_hashtagswarm.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def htmlHashTagSwarm(baseDir: str, actor: str, translate: {}) -> str:
             if len(hashTagName) > maxTagLength:
                 # NoIncrediblyLongAndBoringHashtagsShownHere
                 continue
-            if '"' in hashTagName or "'" in hashTagName:
+            if '&' in hashTagName or '"' in hashTagName or "'" in hashTagName:
                 continue
             if '#' + hashTagName + '\n' in blockedStr:
                 continue