diff --git a/src/html_epub_preprocessor.py b/src/html_epub_preprocessor.py
index 3160c88..c7c0981 100644
--- a/src/html_epub_preprocessor.py
+++ b/src/html_epub_preprocessor.py
@@ -431,6 +431,14 @@ def preprocess_block_tags(chapter_tag):
             block.unwrap()
 
 
+def _prepare_formatted(text):
+    text = text.replace("<", "\x3C;")
+    text = text.replace(">", "\x3E;")
+    text = text.replace('\t', "\xa0 \xa0 \xa0 ")
+    text = text.replace(' ', "\xa0 ")
+    return text
+
+
 def preprocess_pre_tags(chapter_tag):
     for pre in chapter_tag.find_all("pre"):
         new_tag = BeautifulSoup(features='lxml').new_tag("span")
@@ -441,15 +449,13 @@ def preprocess_pre_tags(chapter_tag):
         for child in pre.children:
             if isinstance(child, NavigableString):
                 text = pre.text
-                text = text.replace("<", "\x3C;")
-                text = text.replace(">", "\x3E;")
-                text = text.replace('\t', "\xa0 \xa0 \xa0 ")
-                text = text.replace(' ', "\xa0 ")
+                text = _prepare_formatted(text)
                 elements = re.split('\r\n|\n|\r', text)
                 for i in elements:
                     new_tag.append(NavigableString(i))
                     new_tag.append(BeautifulSoup(features='lxml').new_tag('br'))
             else:
+                child.string = _prepare_formatted(child.text)
                 new_tag.append(child.extract())
                 if to_add_br:
                     new_tag.append(BeautifulSoup(features='lxml').new_tag('br'))