diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 3bd50a8..01ed79c 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ plugins {
 }
 
 group 'com.docutools'
-version = '4.1.0'
+version = '4.1.1'
 
 java {
     toolchain {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/docutools/jocument/impl/ParsingUtils.java b/src/main/java/com/docutools/jocument/impl/ParsingUtils.java
index 488c59e..4b843fd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/docutools/jocument/impl/ParsingUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/docutools/jocument/impl/ParsingUtils.java
@@ -3,10 +3,13 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
 
 public class ParsingUtils {
 
   private static final Pattern PLACEHOLDER_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("\\{\\{([^{}]+)?}}");
+  private static final Logger logger = LogManager.getLogger();
 
   private ParsingUtils() {
   }
@@ -21,7 +24,13 @@ public static String stripBrackets(String value) {
     if (value.length() < 4) {
       return value;
     }
-    return value.substring(2, value.length() - 2);
+    Matcher matcher = PLACEHOLDER_PATTERN.matcher(value);
+    if (matcher.find()) {
+      return matcher.group(1);
+    } else {
+      logger.debug("String {} did not contain a placeholder", value);
+      return value;
+    }
   }
 
   public static List<String> getMatchingLoopEnds(String placeholder) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/docutools/jocument/impl/word/WordGenerator.java b/src/main/java/com/docutools/jocument/impl/word/WordGenerator.java
index e612c2b..30cbd73 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/docutools/jocument/impl/word/WordGenerator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/docutools/jocument/impl/word/WordGenerator.java
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ private boolean isCustomPlaceholder(IBodyElement element) {
     return element instanceof XWPFParagraph xwpfParagraph
         && resolver.resolve(
         ParsingUtils.stripBrackets(
-            WordUtilities.toString(xwpfParagraph).trim()
+            WordUtilities.toString(xwpfParagraph)
         )).map(PlaceholderData::getType)
         .map(type -> type == PlaceholderType.CUSTOM)
         .orElse(false);