diff --git a/webform_validation.validators.inc b/webform_validation.validators.inc
index fc71750..39bfc62 100644
--- a/webform_validation.validators.inc
+++ b/webform_validation.validators.inc
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ function webform_validation_webform_validation_validators() {
         'textfield',
         'textarea',
         'hidden',
+        'html_textarea',
       ),
       'custom_data' => array(
         'label' => t('Minimum number of words'),
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ function webform_validation_webform_validation_validators() {
         'textfield',
         'textarea',
         'hidden',
+        'html_textarea',
       ),
       'custom_data' => array(
         'label' => t('Maximum number of words'),
@@ -443,6 +445,10 @@ function webform_validation_webform_validation_validate($validator_name, $items,
       case 'min_words':
         $min_words = $rule['data'];
         foreach ($items as $key => $val) {
+          // Deal with HTML textareas.
+          if (is_array($val)) {
+            $val = isset($val['value']) ? strip_tags($val['value']) : implode($val);
+          }
           if ($val != '' && (count(preg_split("/[\s]+/", trim($val))) < $min_words)) {
             $error = format_plural($min_words, '%item needs to be at least 1 word long', '%item needs to be at least @count words long', array('%item' => $components[$key]['name']));
             $errors[$key] = $error;
@@ -452,6 +458,10 @@ function webform_validation_webform_validation_validate($validator_name, $items,
       case 'max_words':
         $max_words = $rule['data'];
         foreach ($items as $key => $val) {
+          // Deal with HTML textareas.
+          if (is_array($val)) {
+            $val = isset($val['value']) ? strip_tags($val['value']) : implode($val);
+          }
           if ($val != '' && (count(preg_split("/[\s]+/", trim($val))) > $max_words)) {
             $error = format_plural($max_words, '%item can be maximum 1 word long', '%item can be maximum @count words long', array('%item' => $components[$key]['name']));
             $errors[$key] = $error;