diff --git a/editor.planx.uk/package.json b/editor.planx.uk/package.json
index ffec422e0c..8f82ea9b81 100644
--- a/editor.planx.uk/package.json
+++ b/editor.planx.uk/package.json
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@
     "rxjs": "^7.8.1",
     "scroll-into-view-if-needed": "^2.2.31",
     "sharedb": "^3.3.1",
+    "striptags": "^3.2.0",
     "swr": "^2.2.0",
     "tippy.js": "^6.3.7",
     "uuid": "^9.0.0",
diff --git a/editor.planx.uk/pnpm-lock.yaml b/editor.planx.uk/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 4625024832..1bbee1fe10 100644
--- a/editor.planx.uk/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/editor.planx.uk/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -252,6 +252,9 @@ dependencies:
   sharedb:
     specifier: ^3.3.1
     version: 3.3.1
+  striptags:
+    specifier: ^3.2.0
+    version: 3.2.0
   swr:
     specifier: ^2.2.0
     version: 2.2.0(react@18.2.0)
@@ -18983,6 +18986,10 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-6fPc+R4ihwqP6N/aIv2f1gMH8lOVtWQHoqC4yK6oSDVVocumAsfCqjkXnqiYMhmMwS/mEHLp7Vehlt3ql6lEig==}
     engines: {node: '>=8'}
 
+  /striptags@3.2.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-g45ZOGzHDMe2bdYMdIvdAfCQkCTDMGBazSw1ypMowwGIee7ZQ5dU0rBJ8Jqgl+jAKIv4dbeE1jscZq9wid1Tkw==}
+    dev: false
+
   /strnum@1.0.5:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-J8bbNyKKXl5qYcR36TIO8W3mVGVHrmmxsd5PAItGkmyzwJvybiw2IVq5nqd0i4LSNSkB/sx9VHllbfFdr9k1JA==}
     dev: false
diff --git a/editor.planx.uk/src/@planx/components/Send/bops/index.ts b/editor.planx.uk/src/@planx/components/Send/bops/index.ts
index be3e17ce61..42b05ff992 100644
--- a/editor.planx.uk/src/@planx/components/Send/bops/index.ts
+++ b/editor.planx.uk/src/@planx/components/Send/bops/index.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import {
   ResponseMetaData,
   USER_ROLES,
 } from "../model";
+import striptags from "striptags";
 
 export const bopsDictionary = {
   // applicant or agent details provided via TextInput(s) or ContactInput component
@@ -231,7 +232,7 @@ export const makePayload = (
       if (flow[id]?.data?.policyRef) {
         metadata.policy_refs = [
           // remove html tags
-          { text: flow[id].data.policyRef.replace(/<[^>]*>/g, "").trim() },
+          { text: striptags(flow[id].data.policyRef) },
         ];
       }
       metadata = addPortalName(id, flow, metadata);