diff --git a/notifications_utils/template.py b/notifications_utils/template.py
index 946d978c..38e7b53b 100644
--- a/notifications_utils/template.py
+++ b/notifications_utils/template.py
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ def preheader(self):
                 Field(
                     self.content,
                     self.values,
-                    html="escape",
+                    html="strip" if self.allow_html else "escape",
                     markdown_lists=True,
                 )
             )
diff --git a/notifications_utils/version.py b/notifications_utils/version.py
index 39d67450..763bc1df 100644
--- a/notifications_utils/version.py
+++ b/notifications_utils/version.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-__version__ = "46.1.0"
+__version__ = "46.2.0"
 # GDS version '34.0.1'
diff --git a/tests/test_template_types.py b/tests/test_template_types.py
index 708b7e53..ffbefaae 100644
--- a/tests/test_template_types.py
+++ b/tests/test_template_types.py
@@ -338,6 +338,28 @@ def test_content_of_preheader_in_html_emails(
     assert mock_jinja_template.call_args[0][0]["preheader"] == expected_preheader
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "allow_html, content, expected_preheader",
+    [
+        (True, "Hello World", "Hello World"),
+        (False, "Hello World", "Hello World"),
+        (True, "<div>Hello World</div>", "Hello World"),
+        (False, "<div>Hello World</div>", "&lt;div&gt;Hello World&lt;/div&gt;"),
+        (True, '<div><img src="file.png" />Hello World</div>', "Hello World"),
+        (False, '<div><img src="file.png" />Hello World</div>', "&lt;div&gt;&lt;img src=”file.png” /&gt;Hello World&lt;/div&gt;"),
+    ],
+)
+@mock.patch("notifications_utils.template.HTMLEmailTemplate.jinja_template.render", return_value="mocked")
+def test_content_of_preheader_in_html_emails_with_allow_html(
+    mock_jinja_template,
+    allow_html: bool,
+    content: str,
+    expected_preheader: str,
+):
+    assert str(HTMLEmailTemplate({"content": content, "subject": "subject"}, allow_html=allow_html)) == "mocked"
+    assert mock_jinja_template.call_args[0][0]["preheader"] == expected_preheader
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "template_class, extra_args, result, markdown_renderer",
     [