diff --git a/jwriter/writer.go b/jwriter/writer.go
index b0856ba..85fa440 100644
--- a/jwriter/writer.go
+++ b/jwriter/writer.go
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ import (
 
 // Writer is a JSON writer.
 type Writer struct {
-	Error  error
-	Buffer buffer.Buffer
+	EscapeLtGt bool
+	Error      error
+	Buffer     buffer.Buffer
 }
 
 // Size returns the size of the data that was written out.
@@ -224,6 +225,10 @@ func (w *Writer) String(s string) {
 			escape = '\\'
 		case '"':
 			escape = '"'
+		case '<', '>':
+			if !w.EscapeLtGt {
+				continue
+			}
 		default:
 			if c >= 0x20 {
 				// no escaping is required
diff --git a/tests/basic_test.go b/tests/basic_test.go
index 7d18e3b..6ef2aa5 100644
--- a/tests/basic_test.go
+++ b/tests/basic_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 
 	"github.com/mailru/easyjson"
+	"github.com/mailru/easyjson/jwriter"
 )
 
 type testType interface {
@@ -103,3 +104,25 @@ func TestParseNull(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Unmarshal() = %+v; want %+v", got, want)
 	}
 }
+
+var testCasesEncodeLtGt = []struct {
+	Writer  *jwriter.Writer
+	Encoded string
+}{
+	{&jwriter.Writer{
+		EscapeLtGt: false,
+	}, encodeLtGtFalseWantString},
+	{&jwriter.Writer{
+		EscapeLtGt: true,
+	}, encodeLtGtTrueWantString},
+}
+
+func TestEncodeLtGt(t *testing.T) {
+	for i, test := range testCasesEncodeLtGt {
+		test.Writer.String(encodeLtGtString)
+		got := string(test.Writer.Buffer.BuildBytes())
+		if got != test.Encoded {
+			t.Errorf("[%d] Encoded() = %+v; want %+v", i, got, test.Encoded)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tests/data.go b/tests/data.go
index aa8963f..510c3a3 100644
--- a/tests/data.go
+++ b/tests/data.go
@@ -440,3 +440,7 @@ type RequiredOptionalStruct struct {
 	FirstName string `json:"first_name,required"`
 	Lastname  string `json:"last_name"`
 }
+
+var encodeLtGtString = `Username <user@example.com>`
+var encodeLtGtFalseWantString = `"Username <user@example.com>"`
+var encodeLtGtTrueWantString = `"Username \u003cuser@example.com\u003e"`