diff --git a/jhove-core/src/main/java/edu/harvard/hul/ois/jhove/Utils.java b/jhove-core/src/main/java/edu/harvard/hul/ois/jhove/Utils.java
index 2863ba11e..66b4eacf2 100644
--- a/jhove-core/src/main/java/edu/harvard/hul/ois/jhove/Utils.java
+++ b/jhove-core/src/main/java/edu/harvard/hul/ois/jhove/Utils.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public static String encodeContent(String content) {
       if ((0x00 <= ch && ch <= 0x08) || 
           (0x0b <= ch && ch <= 0x0c) || 
           (0x0e <= ch && ch <= 0x1f) || 
+          (0xfffe <= ch && ch <= 0xffff) || 
           0x7f == ch
       ) {
         continue;
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ public static String encodeValue(String value) {
       if ((0x00 <= ch && ch <= 0x08) || 
           (0x0b <= ch && ch <= 0x0c) || 
           (0x0e <= ch && ch <= 0x1f) || 
+          (0xfffe <= ch && ch <= 0xffff) || 
           0x7f == ch
       ) {
         continue;