Index: Modules/expat/xmlparse.c
===================================================================
--- Modules/expat/xmlparse.c	(revision 41430)
+++ Modules/expat/xmlparse.c	(working copy)
@@ -2541,6 +2541,11 @@
                                  dataPtr - (ICHAR *)dataBuf);
             if (s == next)
               break;
+            if (!characterDataHandler) {
+              if (defaultHandler)
+                reportDefault(parser, enc, s, next);
+              break;
+	    }
             *eventPP = s;
           }
         }