diff --git a/mwparserfromhell/parser/tokenizer.py b/mwparserfromhell/parser/tokenizer.py
index 129c19a..2d1245f 100644
--- a/mwparserfromhell/parser/tokenizer.py
+++ b/mwparserfromhell/parser/tokenizer.py
@@ -447,7 +447,8 @@ class Tokenizer(object):
         self._write(tokens.TagOpenOpen(showtag=True))
         while True:
             this, next = self._read(), self._read(1)
-            can_exit = not data.context & data.CX_QUOTED or data.context & data.CX_NEED_SPACE
+            can_exit = (not data.context & (data.CX_QUOTED | data.CX_NAME) or
+                        data.context & data.CX_NEED_SPACE)
             if this not in self.MARKERS:
                 for chunk in self.tag_splitter.split(this):
                     if self._handle_tag_chunk(data, chunk):
@@ -488,8 +489,8 @@ class Tokenizer(object):
         if not chunk:
             return
         if data.context & data.CX_NAME:
-            if chunk != chunk.lstrip():  # Tags cannot start with whitespace
-                self._fail_route()
+            if chunk in self.MARKERS or chunk.isspace():
+                self._fail_route()  # Tags must start with text (not a space)
             self._write_text(chunk)
             data.context = data.CX_NEED_SPACE
         elif data.context & data.CX_NEED_SPACE:
@@ -563,6 +564,8 @@ class Tokenizer(object):
             self._parse_template_or_argument()
         elif chunk == next == "[":
             self._parse_wikilink()
+        elif chunk == "<":
+            self._parse_tag()
         else:
             self._write_text(chunk)
 
@@ -735,10 +738,13 @@ class Tokenizer(object):
                     self._parse_comment()
                 else:
                     self._write_text(this)
-            elif this == "<" and next != "/" and not self._context & contexts.TAG_CLOSE:
-                self._parse_tag()
             elif this == "<" and next == "/" and self._context & contexts.TAG_BODY:
                 self._handle_tag_open_close()
+            elif this == "<":
+                if not self._context & contexts.TAG_CLOSE and self._can_recurse():
+                    self._parse_tag()
+                else:
+                    self._write_text("<")
             elif this == ">" and self._context & contexts.TAG_CLOSE:
                 return self._handle_tag_close_close()
             else:
diff --git a/tests/tokenizer/tags.mwtest b/tests/tokenizer/tags.mwtest
index 7d5f338..17010e9 100644
--- a/tests/tokenizer/tags.mwtest
+++ b/tests/tokenizer/tags.mwtest
@@ -96,6 +96,34 @@ output: [TagOpenOpen(showtag=True), Text(text="ref"), TagAttrStart(pad_first=" "
 
 ---
 
+name:   nested_tag
+label:  a tag nested within the attributes of another
+input:  "<ref name=<span style="color: red;">foo</span>>citation</ref>"
+output: [TagOpenOpen(showtag=True), Text(text="ref"), TagAttrStart(pad_first=" ", pad_before_eq="", pad_after_eq=""), Text(text="name"), TagAttrEquals(), TagOpenOpen(showtag=True), Text(text="span"), TagAttrStart(pad_first=" ", pad_before_eq="", pad_after_eq=""), Text(text="style"), TagAttrEquals(), TagAttrQuote(), Text(text="color: red;"), TagCloseOpen(padding=""), Text(text="foo"), TagOpenClose(), Text(text="span"), TagCloseClose(), TagCloseOpen(padding=""), Text(text="citation"), TagOpenClose(), Text(text="ref"), TagCloseClose()]
+
+---
+
+name:   nested_tag_quoted
+label:  a tag nested within the attributes of another, quoted
+input:  "<ref name="<span style="color: red;">foo</span>">citation</ref>"
+output: [TagOpenOpen(showtag=True), Text(text="ref"), TagAttrStart(pad_first=" ", pad_before_eq="", pad_after_eq=""), Text(text="name"), TagAttrEquals(), TagAttrQuote(), TagOpenOpen(showtag=True), Text(text="span"), TagAttrStart(pad_first=" ", pad_before_eq="", pad_after_eq=""), Text(text="style"), TagAttrEquals(), TagAttrQuote(), Text(text="color: red;"), TagCloseOpen(padding=""), Text(text="foo"), TagOpenClose(), Text(text="span"), TagCloseClose(), TagCloseOpen(padding=""), Text(text="citation"), TagOpenClose(), Text(text="ref"), TagCloseClose()]
+
+---
+
+name:   nested_troll_tag
+label:  a bogus tag that appears to be nested within the attributes of another
+input:  "<ref name=</ ><//>>citation</ref>"
+output: [Text(text="<ref name=</ ><//>>citation</ref>")]
+
+---
+
+name:   nested_troll_tag_quoted
+label:  a bogus tag that appears to be nested within the attributes of another, quoted
+input:  "<ref name="</ ><//>">citation</ref>"
+output: [TagOpenOpen(showtag=True), Text(text="ref"), TagAttrStart(pad_first=" ", pad_before_eq="", pad_after_eq=""), Text(text="name"), TagAttrEquals(), TagAttrQuote(), Text(text="</ ><//>"), TagCloseOpen(padding=""), Text(text="citation"), TagOpenClose(), Text(text="ref"), TagCloseClose()]
+
+---
+
 name:   invalid_space_begin_open
 label:  invalid tag: a space at the beginning of the open tag
 input:  "< ref>test</ref>"