diff --git a/code/Commenting.php b/code/Commenting.php
index 2de8072..95e2928 100644
--- a/code/Commenting.php
+++ b/code/Commenting.php
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ class Commenting {
 		'comments_per_page' => 10,
 		'comments_holder_id' => "comments-holder", // id for the comments holder
 		'comment_permalink_prefix' => "comment-", // id prefix for each comment. If needed make this different
-		'require_moderation' => false
+		'require_moderation' => false,
+		'html_allowed' => false, // allow for sanitized HTML in comments
+		'html_allowed_elements' => array('p', 'br', 'a', 'img', 'i', 'b'),
+		'use_preview' => false, // preview formatted comment (when allowing HTML)
 	);
 	
 	/**
diff --git a/code/controllers/CommentingController.php b/code/controllers/CommentingController.php
index 9598576..79b4bf4 100644
--- a/code/controllers/CommentingController.php
+++ b/code/controllers/CommentingController.php
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ class CommentingController extends Controller {
 		'approve',
 		'rss',
 		'CommentsForm',
-		'doPostComment'
+		'doPostComment',
+		'doPreviewComment'
 	);
 
 	private $baseClass = "";
@@ -239,7 +240,7 @@ class CommentingController extends Controller {
 	 * @return Form
 	 */
 	public function CommentsForm() {
-		
+		$usePreview = Commenting::get_config_value($this->getBaseClass(), 'use_preview');
 		$member = Member::currentUser();
 		$fields = new FieldList(
 			TextField::create("Name", _t('CommentInterface.YOURNAME', 'Your name'))
@@ -263,10 +264,28 @@ class CommentingController extends Controller {
 			HiddenField::create("BaseClass")
 		);
 
+		// Preview formatted comment. Makes most sense when shortcodes or
+		// limited HTML is allowed. Populated by JS/Ajax.
+		if($usePreview) {
+			$fields->insertAfter(
+				ReadonlyField::create('PreviewComment', _t('CommentInterface.PREVIEWLABEL', 'Preview'))
+					->setAttribute('style', 'display: none'), // enable through JS
+				'Comment'
+			);
+		}
+	
+
 		// save actions
 		$actions = new FieldList(
 			new FormAction("doPostComment", _t('CommentInterface.POST', 'Post'))
 		);
+		if($usePreview) {
+			$actions->push(
+				FormAction::create('doPreviewComment', _t('CommentInterface.PREVIEW', 'Preview'))
+					->addExtraClass('action-minor')
+					->setAttribute('style', 'display: none') // enable through JS
+			);
+		}
 
 		// required fields for server side
 		$required = new RequiredFields(array(
@@ -340,6 +359,8 @@ class CommentingController extends Controller {
 	 */
 	public function doPostComment($data, $form) {
 		$class = (isset($data['BaseClass'])) ? $data['BaseClass'] : $this->getBaseClass();
+		$usePreview = Commenting::get_config_value($class, 'use_preview');
+		$isPreview = ($usePreview && isset($data['preview']) && $data['preview']);
 		
 		// if no class then we cannot work out what controller or model they
 		// are on so throw an error
@@ -378,7 +399,13 @@ class CommentingController extends Controller {
 		$form->saveInto($comment);
 
 		$comment->Moderated = ($moderated) ? false : true;
-		$comment->write();
+
+		// Save into DB, or call pre-save hooks to give accurate preview
+		if($isPreview) {
+			$comment->onBeforeWrite();	
+		} else {
+			$comment->write();	
+		}
 
 		// extend hook to allow extensions. Also see onBeforePostComment
 		$this->extend('onAfterPostComment', $comment);	
@@ -401,4 +428,9 @@ class CommentingController extends Controller {
 			
 		return ($url) ? $this->redirect($url .'#'. $hash) : $this->redirectBack();
 	}
+
+	public function doPreviewComment($data, $form) {
+		$data['IsPreview'] = 1;
+		return $this->doPostComment($data, $form);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/code/dataobjects/Comment.php b/code/dataobjects/Comment.php
index 14e3aee..70ceb93 100755
--- a/code/dataobjects/Comment.php
+++ b/code/dataobjects/Comment.php
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class Comment extends DataObject {
 	
 	public static $db = array(
 		"Name"			=> "Varchar(200)",
-		"Comment"		=> "Text",
+		"Comment"		=> "Text", // can contain sanitized HTML with 'html_allowed=true' config
 		"Email"			=> "Varchar(200)",
 		"URL"			=> "Varchar(255)",
 		"BaseClass"		=> "Varchar(200)",
@@ -55,7 +55,14 @@ class Comment extends DataObject {
 		'IsSpam' => 'Is Spam'
 	);
 
+	public function onBeforeWrite() {
+		parent::onBeforeWrite();
 
+		// Sanitize HTML, because its expected to be passed to the template unescaped later
+		if($this->getAllowHtml()) {
+			$this->Comment = $this->purifyHtml($this->Comment);
+		}
+	}
 	
 	/**
 	 * Migrates the old {@link PageComment} objects to {@link Comment}
@@ -144,7 +151,7 @@ class Comment extends DataObject {
 
 		return ($parent->Title) ? $parent->Title : $parent->ClassName . " #" . $parent->ID;
 	}
-
+	
 	/**
 	 * Comment-parent classnames obviousely vary, return the parent classname
 	 *
@@ -330,4 +337,34 @@ class Comment extends DataObject {
 		$fields->replaceField('BaseClass', $baseClassField);
 		return $fields;
 	}
+
+	public function getAllowHtml() {
+		return (
+			Commenting::has_commenting($this->BaseClass)
+			&& Commenting::get_config_value($this->BaseClass, 'html_allowed')
+		);	
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @param  String $dirtyHtml
+	 * @return String
+	 */
+	public function purifyHtml($dirtyHtml) {
+		$purifier = $this->getHtmlPurifierService();
+		return $purifier->purify($dirtyHtml);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @return HTMLPurifier (or anything with a "purify()" method)
+	 */
+	public function getHtmlPurifierService() {
+		$config = HTMLPurifier_Config::createDefault();
+		$config->set('HTML.AllowedElements', 
+			Commenting::get_config_value($this->BaseClass, 'html_allowed_elements')
+		);
+		$config->set('AutoFormat.AutoParagraph', true);
+		$config->set('AutoFormat.Linkify', true);
+		$config->set('URI.DisableExternalResources', true);
+		return new HTMLPurifier($config);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index 5d94af1..7183af7 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -12,5 +12,8 @@
 	"require":
 	{
 		"silverstripe/framework": "3.*"
+	},
+	"suggest": {
+		"ezyang/htmlpurifier": "4.*"
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/en/Configuration.md b/docs/en/Configuration.md
index 31ee4de..5a56210 100644
--- a/docs/en/Configuration.md
+++ b/docs/en/Configuration.md
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-## Configuration
+# Configuration
+
+## Overview
 
 The module provides a number of built in configuration settings below are the default settings
 
@@ -13,7 +15,10 @@ The module provides a number of built in configuration settings below are the de
 		'comments_per_page' => 10,
 		'comments_holder_id' => "comments-holder", 
 		'comment_permalink_prefix' => "comment-",
-		'require_moderation' => false
+		'require_moderation' => false,
+		'html_allowed' => false, // allow for sanitized HTML in comments
+		'html_allowed_elements' => array('p', 'br', 'a', 'img', 'i', 'b'),
+		'use_preview' => false, // preview formatted comment (when allowing HTML)
 	);
 	
 If you want to customize any of the configuration options after you have added the extension (or
@@ -25,4 +30,21 @@ on the built-in SiteTree commenting) use `set_config_value`
 	// mysite/_config.php - Returns the setting 
 	Commenting::get_config_value('SiteTree', 'require_login');
 	
-	
\ No newline at end of file
+## HTML Comments
+
+Comments can be configured to contain a restricted set of HTML tags
+through the `html_allowed` and `html_allowed_elements` settings.
+Raw HTML is hardly user friendly, but combined with a rich-text editor
+of your own choosing it can allow rich comment formatting.
+
+In order to use this feature, you need to install the
+[HTMLPurifier](http://htmlpurifier.org/) library.
+The easiest way to do this is through [Composer](http://getcomposer.org).
+
+	{
+		"require": {"ezyang/htmlpurifier": "4.*"}
+	}
+
+**Important**: Rendering user-provided HTML on your website always risks
+exposing your users to cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, if the HTML
+isn't properly sanitized. Don't allow tags like `<script>` or arbitrary attributes.
diff --git a/javascript/CommentsInterface.js b/javascript/CommentsInterface.js
index 3336a4d..a3f0f49 100755
--- a/javascript/CommentsInterface.js
+++ b/javascript/CommentsInterface.js
@@ -9,8 +9,14 @@
 			commentsList = $('.comments-list', commentsHolder),
 			pagination = $('.comments-pagination'),
 			noCommentsYet = $('.no-comments-yet', commentsHolder),
-			form = $('form', container);
+			form = $('form', container),
+			previewEl = form.find('#PreviewComment');
 
+		/**
+		 * Init
+		 */
+		previewEl.hide();
+		$(':submit[name=action_doPreviewComment]').show();
 
 		/**
 		 * Validate
@@ -70,7 +76,6 @@
 		 * this inclues the spam and approve links
 		 */
 		form.submit(function (e) {
-
 			// trigger validation
 			if(!form.validate().valid()){
 				return false;
@@ -103,6 +108,36 @@
 			return false;
 		});
 
+		/**
+		 * Preview comment by fetching it from the server via ajax.
+		 */
+		$(':submit[name=action_doPreviewComment]', form).click(function(e) {
+			e.preventDefault();
+
+			if(!form.validate().valid()) return false;
+
+			previewEl.show().addClass('loading').find('.middleColumn').html(' ');
+			form.ajaxSubmit({
+				success: function(response) {
+					var responseEl = $(response);
+					if(responseEl.is('form')) {
+						// Validation failed, renders form instead of single comment
+						form.replaceWith(responseEl);
+					} else {
+						// Default behaviour
+						previewEl.removeClass('loading').find('.middleColumn').html(responseEl);
+					}
+				},
+				data: {'action_doPreviewComment': 1}
+			});
+		});
+
+		/**
+		 * Hide outdated preview on form changes
+		 */
+		$(':input', form).on('change keydown', function() {
+			previewEl.hide();
+		});
 		
 		/**
 		 * Clicking one of the metalinks performs the operation via ajax
diff --git a/templates/CommentsInterface_singlecomment.ss b/templates/CommentsInterface_singlecomment.ss
index e0a8765..316b5d3 100755
--- a/templates/CommentsInterface_singlecomment.ss
+++ b/templates/CommentsInterface_singlecomment.ss
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 <div class="comment" id="$Permalink">
-	<p>$Comment.XML</p>
+	<% if AllowHtml %>
+		$Comment.RAW
+	<% else %>
+		<p>$Comment.XML</p>
+	<% end_if %>
 </div>
 
 <p class="info">
diff --git a/tests/CommentsTest.php b/tests/CommentsTest.php
index 4276d47..a95ca9b 100644
--- a/tests/CommentsTest.php
+++ b/tests/CommentsTest.php
@@ -155,6 +155,73 @@ class CommentsTest extends FunctionalTest {
 			$this->assertEquals($comment->CommenterURL, $protocol . $url, $protocol . ':// is a valid protocol');
 		}
 	}
+
+	public function testSanitizesWithAllowHtml() {
+		if(!class_exists('HTMLPurifier')) {
+			$this->markTestSkipped('HTMLPurifier class not found');
+			return;
+		}
+
+		$origAllowed = Commenting::get_config_value('CommentableItem','html_allowed');
+		
+		// Without HTML allowed
+		$comment1 = new Comment();
+		$comment1->BaseClass = 'CommentableItem';
+		$comment1->Comment = '<p><script>alert("w00t")</script>my comment</p>';
+		$comment1->write();
+		$this->assertEquals(
+			'<p><script>alert("w00t")</script>my comment</p>',
+			$comment1->Comment,
+			'Does not remove HTML tags with html_allowed=false, ' .
+			'which is correct behaviour because the HTML will be escaped'
+		);
+
+		// With HTML allowed
+		Commenting::set_config_value('CommentableItem','html_allowed', true);
+		$comment2 = new Comment();
+		$comment2->BaseClass = 'CommentableItem';
+		$comment2->Comment = '<p><script>alert("w00t")</script>my comment</p>';
+		$comment2->write();
+		$this->assertEquals(
+			'<p>my comment</p>',
+			$comment2->Comment,
+			'Removes HTML tags which are not on the whitelist'
+		);
+
+		Commenting::set_config_value('CommentableItem','html_allowed', $origAllowed);
+	}
+
+	public function testDefaultTemplateRendersHtmlWithAllowHtml() {
+		if(!class_exists('HTMLPurifier')) {
+			$this->markTestSkipped('HTMLPurifier class not found');
+		}
+
+		$origAllowed = Commenting::get_config_value('CommentableItem', 'html_allowed');
+		$item = new CommentableItem();
+		$item->write();
+
+		// Without HTML allowed
+		$comment = new Comment();
+		$comment->Comment = '<p>my comment</p>';
+		$comment->ParentID = $item->ID;
+		$comment->BaseClass = 'CommentableItem';
+		$comment->write();
+		
+		$html = $item->customise(array('CommentsEnabled' => true))->renderWith('CommentsInterface');
+		$this->assertContains(
+			'&lt;p&gt;my comment&lt;/p&gt;',
+			$html
+		);
+
+		Commenting::set_config_value('CommentableItem','html_allowed', true);
+		$html = $item->customise(array('CommentsEnabled' => true))->renderWith('CommentsInterface');
+		$this->assertContains(
+			'<p>my comment</p>',
+			$html
+		);
+
+		Commenting::set_config_value('CommentableItem','html_allowed', $origAllowed);
+	}
 }