diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-utils/src/__tests__/markdownUtils.test.ts b/packages/docusaurus-utils/src/__tests__/markdownUtils.test.ts
index 71be6442e082..f6ce15ba4d06 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-utils/src/__tests__/markdownUtils.test.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-utils/src/__tests__/markdownUtils.test.ts
@@ -184,6 +184,26 @@ describe('createExcerpt', () => {
         `),
     ).toBe('Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.');
   });
+
+  it('creates excerpt with XML tag inside inline code', () => {
+    expect(
+      createExcerpt(dedent`
+          # Markdown Regular Title
+
+          This paragraph includes a link to the \`<metadata>\` documentation.
+        `),
+    ).toBe('This paragraph includes a link to the &lt;metadata&gt; documentation.');
+  });
+
+  it('creates excerpt with XML tag inside inline code with hyperlink', () => {
+    expect(
+      createExcerpt(dedent`
+          # Markdown Regular Title
+
+          This paragraph includes a link to the [\`<metadata>\`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/SVG/Element/metadata) documentation.
+        `),
+    ).toBe('This paragraph includes a link to the &lt;metadata&gt; documentation.');
+  });
 });
 
 describe('parseMarkdownContentTitle', () => {
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-utils/src/markdownUtils.ts b/packages/docusaurus-utils/src/markdownUtils.ts
index cef01cb70c1c..3896221707d1 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-utils/src/markdownUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-utils/src/markdownUtils.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ export function createExcerpt(fileString: string): string | undefined {
     }
 
     const cleanedLine = fileLine
+      // Escape HTML entities inside inline code before removing HTML tags.
+      .replace(/`(?<text>.+?)`/g, (_, text) =>
+        `\`${text.replace(/</g, '&lt;').replace(/>/g, '&gt;')}\``,
+      )
       // Remove HTML tags.
       .replace(/<[^>]*>/g, '')
       // Remove Title headers
@@ -144,7 +148,7 @@ export function createExcerpt(fileString: string): string | undefined {
       .replace(/\[\^.+?\](?:: .*$)?/g, '')
       // Remove inline links.
       .replace(/\[(?<alt>.*?)\][[(].*?[\])]/g, '$1')
-      // Remove inline code.
+      // Remove inline code (now just removes backticks, content already escaped).
       .replace(/`(?<text>.+?)`/g, '$1')
       // Remove blockquotes.
       .replace(/^\s{0,3}>\s?/g, '')