diff --git a/src/SignatureXAdES_B.cpp b/src/SignatureXAdES_B.cpp
index 4fcdb9694..47208720d 100644
--- a/src/SignatureXAdES_B.cpp
+++ b/src/SignatureXAdES_B.cpp
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ void SignatureXAdES_B::setSignatureProductionPlace(string_view name,
  *
  * @param roles signer roles.
  */
-void SignatureXAdES_B::setSignerRoles(string_view name, const vector<string> &roles) noexcept
+void SignatureXAdES_B::setSignerRoles(string_view name, const vector<string> &roles)
 {
     if(roles.empty())
         return;
diff --git a/src/SignatureXAdES_B.h b/src/SignatureXAdES_B.h
index 56f12e485..aa212fdf7 100644
--- a/src/SignatureXAdES_B.h
+++ b/src/SignatureXAdES_B.h
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ namespace digidoc
           void setSignatureProductionPlace(std::string_view name, const std::string &city,
               const std::string &streetAddress, const std::string &stateOrProvince,
               const std::string &postalCode, const std::string &countryName) noexcept;
-          void setSignerRoles(std::string_view name, const std::vector<std::string> &signerRoles) noexcept;
+          void setSignerRoles(std::string_view name, const std::vector<std::string> &signerRoles);
           constexpr XMLNode V1orV2(std::string_view v1, std::string_view v2) const noexcept;
 
           // offline checks
diff --git a/src/XMLDocument.h b/src/XMLDocument.h
index f9e7b94f9..d97d3ca6c 100644
--- a/src/XMLDocument.h
+++ b/src/XMLDocument.h
@@ -229,10 +229,21 @@ struct XMLNode: public XMLElem<xmlNode>
         return from_base64(operator sv());
     }
 
-    XMLNode& operator=(sv text) noexcept
+    XMLNode& operator=(sv text)
     {
         if(!d)
             return *this;
+        const char *utf = text.cbegin();
+        int len = int(text.size());
+        while (utf < text.cend()) {
+            int uc = xmlGetUTF8Char((const unsigned char *) utf, &len);
+            if (len < 1) {
+                THROW("Invalid utf8 string in XML content");
+            } else if (((uc < 0x20) && (uc != 0x9) && (uc != 0xa) && (uc != 0xd)) || (uc == 0xfffe) || (uc == 0xffff)) {
+                THROW("Invalid character '0x%2x' in XML content", uc);
+            }
+            utf += len;
+        }
         xmlNodeSetContentLen(d, nullptr, 0);
         if(!text.empty())
             xmlNodeAddContentLen(d, pcxmlChar(text.data()), int(text.length()));
diff --git a/src/crypto/Signer.cpp b/src/crypto/Signer.cpp
index b36a0e4c5..0381e6bba 100644
--- a/src/crypto/Signer.cpp
+++ b/src/crypto/Signer.cpp
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ Signer::~Signer() = default;
  * @param stateOrProvince
  * @param postalCode
  * @param countryName
+ * The strings have to be utf8 encoded and not contain any control values (any char < 0x20 except 0x9, 0xa and 0xd)
  */
 void Signer::setSignatureProductionPlace(const string &city,
     const string &stateOrProvince, const string &postalCode, const string &countryName)
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ void Signer::setSignatureProductionPlace(const string &city,
  * @param stateOrProvince
  * @param postalCode
  * @param countryName
+ * The strings have to be utf8 encoded and not contain any control values (any char < 0x20 except 0x9, 0xa and 0xd)
  */
 void Signer::setSignatureProductionPlaceV2(const string &city, const string &streetAddress,
     const string &stateOrProvince, const string &postalCode, const string &countryName)
@@ -194,6 +196,7 @@ void Signer::setProfile(const string &profile)
 /**
  * Sets signature roles according XAdES standard. The parameter may contain the signer’s role and optionally the signer’s resolution. Note that only one  signer role value (i.e. one &lt;ClaimedRole&gt; XML element) should be used. 
  * If the signer role contains both role and resolution then they must be separated with a slash mark, e.g. “role / resolution”. 
+ * The strings have to be utf8 encoded and not contain any control values (any char < 0x20 except 0x9, 0xa and 0xd)
  */
 void Signer::setSignerRoles(const vector<string> &signerRoles)
 {