diff --git a/lib/preprocess.js b/lib/preprocess.js
index e401d29..4ea4a0c 100644
--- a/lib/preprocess.js
+++ b/lib/preprocess.js
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ function getTestTemplate(test) {
   test = test.trim();
 
   // force single equals replacement
-  test = test.replace(/([^=!])=([^=])/g, '$1==$2');
+  test = test.replace(/([^=!<>])=([^=])/g, '$1==$2');
 
   return new Function("context", "with (context||{}){ return ( " + test + " ); }");
 }