diff --git a/src/xml_parsing.cpp b/src/xml_parsing.cpp
index 8b9ce95a1..a80f01444 100644
--- a/src/xml_parsing.cpp
+++ b/src/xml_parsing.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 *   WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 */
 
+#include <csignal>
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <functional>
@@ -934,8 +935,18 @@ void BT::XMLParser::PImpl::recursivelyCreateSubtree(const std::string& tree_ID,
     }
     else  // special case: SubTreeNode
     {
-      auto new_bb = Blackboard::create(blackboard);
       const std::string subtree_ID = element->Attribute("ID");
+
+      // check for recursion in behavior tree
+      if(prefix.find(subtree_ID) != std::string::npos)
+      {
+        auto msg = StrCat("Recursive behavior trees are not supported. A cycle was found "
+                          "in ",
+                          "<Subtree ID=\"", subtree_ID, "\"> with prefix: ", prefix);
+        throw RuntimeError(msg);
+      }
+
+      auto new_bb = Blackboard::create(blackboard);
       std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string> subtree_remapping;
       bool do_autoremap = false;
 
diff --git a/tests/gtest_subtree.cpp b/tests/gtest_subtree.cpp
index 6402bafba..26312b10d 100644
--- a/tests/gtest_subtree.cpp
+++ b/tests/gtest_subtree.cpp
@@ -726,3 +726,63 @@ TEST(SubTree, SubtreeNameNotRegistered)
   ASSERT_ANY_THROW(auto tree = factory.createTreeFromText(xml_text));
   ASSERT_ANY_THROW(factory.registerBehaviorTreeFromText(xml_text));
 }
+
+TEST(SubTree, RecursiveSubtree)
+{
+  // clang-format off
+
+  static const char* xml_text = R"(
+  <root BTCPP_format="4" >
+      <BehaviorTree ID="MainTree">
+         <Sequence name="root">
+             <AlwaysSuccess/>
+             <SubTree ID="MainTree" />
+         </Sequence>
+      </BehaviorTree>
+  </root>
+ )";
+
+  // clang-format on
+  BehaviorTreeFactory factory;
+  std::vector<std::string> console;
+  factory.registerNodeType<PrintToConsole>("PrintToConsole", &console);
+
+  ASSERT_ANY_THROW(auto tree = factory.createTreeFromText(xml_text));
+}
+
+TEST(SubTree, RecursiveCycle)
+{
+  // clang-format off
+
+  static const char* xml_text = R"(
+  <root BTCPP_format="4" main_tree_to_execute="MainTree">
+      <BehaviorTree ID="MainTree">
+         <Sequence name="root">
+             <AlwaysSuccess/>
+             <SubTree ID="TreeA" />
+         </Sequence>
+      </BehaviorTree>
+
+      <BehaviorTree ID="TreeA">
+         <Sequence name="root">
+             <AlwaysSuccess/>
+             <SubTree ID="TreeB" />
+         </Sequence>
+      </BehaviorTree>
+
+      <BehaviorTree ID="TreeB">
+         <Sequence name="root">
+             <AlwaysSuccess/>
+             <SubTree ID="MainTree" />
+         </Sequence>
+      </BehaviorTree>
+  </root>
+ )";
+
+  // clang-format on
+  BehaviorTreeFactory factory;
+  std::vector<std::string> console;
+  factory.registerNodeType<PrintToConsole>("PrintToConsole", &console);
+
+  ASSERT_ANY_THROW(auto tree = factory.createTreeFromText(xml_text));
+}