diff --git a/include/behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h b/include/behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h
index b61d49c16..4bebc687c 100644
--- a/include/behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h
+++ b/include/behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <cctype>
 #include <chrono>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <functional>
@@ -447,6 +449,12 @@ template <typename T = AnyTypeAllowed>
                        "and must start with an alphabetic character. "
                        "Underscore is reserved.");
   }
+  if(std::any_of(sname.begin(), sname.end(),
+                 [](unsigned char c) { return std::isspace(c); }))
+  {
+    throw RuntimeError(
+        StrCat("The name of a port must not contain whitespace: '", sname, "'"));
+  }
 
   std::pair<std::string, PortInfo> out;
 
diff --git a/src/xml_parsing.cpp b/src/xml_parsing.cpp
index cf45c568b..bfa134f62 100644
--- a/src/xml_parsing.cpp
+++ b/src/xml_parsing.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 *   WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 */
 
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <cctype>
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <functional>
@@ -17,7 +19,9 @@
 #include <list>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <string>
+#include <string_view>
 #include <typeindex>
+
 #include "behaviortree_cpp/basic_types.h"
 #include "behaviortree_cpp/utils/strcat.hpp"
 
@@ -214,6 +218,13 @@ void BT::XMLParser::PImpl::loadSubtreeModel(const XMLElement* xml_root)
           {
             throw RuntimeError("Missing attribute [name] in port (SubTree model)");
           }
+          std::string_view sname(name);
+          if(std::any_of(sname.begin(), sname.end(),
+                         [](unsigned char c) { return std::isspace(c); }))
+          {
+            throw RuntimeError(
+                StrCat("The name of a port must not contain whitespace: '", sname, "'"));
+          }
           if(auto default_value = port_node->Attribute("default"))
           {
             port.setDefaultValue(default_value);
diff --git a/tests/gtest_ports.cpp b/tests/gtest_ports.cpp
index eaaf9733a..abb2809fc 100644
--- a/tests/gtest_ports.cpp
+++ b/tests/gtest_ports.cpp
@@ -861,3 +861,13 @@ TEST(PortTest, VectorAny)
   ASSERT_NO_THROW(status = tree.tickOnce());
   ASSERT_EQ(status, NodeStatus::FAILURE);
 }
+
+TEST(PortTest, WhitespaceInPortName)
+{
+  ASSERT_ANY_THROW(BT::InputPort<std::string>("port name"));
+  ASSERT_ANY_THROW(BT::InputPort<std::string>("port\tname"));
+  ASSERT_ANY_THROW(BT::InputPort<std::string>("port\nname"));
+  ASSERT_ANY_THROW(BT::InputPort<std::string>(" leading"));
+  ASSERT_ANY_THROW(BT::InputPort<std::string>("trailing "));
+  ASSERT_NO_THROW(BT::InputPort<std::string>("valid_port_name"));
+}
diff --git a/tests/gtest_subtree.cpp b/tests/gtest_subtree.cpp
index c90a2597f..479b3ffc1 100644
--- a/tests/gtest_subtree.cpp
+++ b/tests/gtest_subtree.cpp
@@ -620,6 +620,48 @@ TEST(SubTree, SubtreeModels)
   tree.tickWhileRunning();
 }
 
+TEST(SubTree, WhitespaceInSubtreeModel)
+{
+  // clang-format off
+
+  static const char* xml_text = R"(
+<root main_tree_to_execute = "MainTree" BTCPP_format="4">
+  <TreeNodesModel>
+    <SubTree ID="MySub">
+      <input_port name="port with space" default="42"/>
+    </SubTree>
+  </TreeNodesModel>
+
+  <BehaviorTree ID="MainTree">
+    <Sequence>
+      <SubTree ID="MySub" />
+    </Sequence>
+  </BehaviorTree>
+
+  <BehaviorTree ID="MySub">
+    <Sequence>
+      <AlwaysSuccess />
+    </Sequence>
+  </BehaviorTree>
+</root>
+ )";
+
+  // clang-format on
+
+  BehaviorTreeFactory factory;
+  try
+  {
+    auto _ = factory.createTreeFromText(xml_text);
+  }
+  catch(RuntimeError e)
+  {
+    EXPECT_NE(std::string_view(e.what()).find("not contain whitespace"),
+              std::string_view::npos);
+    return;
+  }
+  FAIL() << "Exception was not thrown.";
+}
+
 class PrintToConsole : public BT::SyncActionNode
 {
 public: