diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/template/ShortQNameMethod.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/template/ShortQNameMethod.java
index 97744c34e4..4bed143c74 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/template/ShortQNameMethod.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/repo/template/ShortQNameMethod.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import org.alfresco.repo.processor.BaseProcessorExtension;
 import org.alfresco.service.ServiceRegistry;
+import org.alfresco.service.namespace.NamespaceException;
 import org.alfresco.service.namespace.QName;
 
 import freemarker.ext.beans.BeanModel;
@@ -80,8 +81,16 @@ public final class ShortQNameMethod extends BaseProcessorExtension implements Te
                 arg0String = ((TemplateScalarModel)arg0).getAsString();
             }
 
+            try
+            {
             result = createQName(arg0String).toPrefixString(services.getNamespaceService());
         }
+            catch (NamespaceException e) 
+            {
+                // not valid qname -> return original value
+                result = arg0String;
+            }
+        }
         
         return result != null ? result : "";
     }