diff --git a/jetty-rewrite/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/rewrite/handler/ValidUrlRule.java b/jetty-rewrite/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/rewrite/handler/ValidUrlRule.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..34f4b0f9778
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jetty-rewrite/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/rewrite/handler/ValidUrlRule.java
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+package org.eclipse.jetty.rewrite.handler;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+
+import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
+import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
+
+public class ValidUrlRule extends Rule
+{
+    String _code = "400";
+    String _reason = "Illegal Url";
+    
+    public ValidUrlRule()
+    {
+        _handling = true;
+        _terminating = true;
+    }
+
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    /**
+     * Sets the response status code.
+     * 
+     * @param code
+     *            response code
+     */
+    public void setCode(String code)
+    {
+        _code = code;
+    }
+
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    /**
+     * Sets the reason for the response status code. Reasons will only reflect if the code value is greater or equal to 400.
+     * 
+     * @param reason
+     */
+    public void setReason(String reason)
+    {
+        _reason = reason;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String matchAndApply(String target, HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws IOException
+    {
+        String uri = request.getRequestURI();
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < uri.length(); ++i)
+        {
+            if (!isPrintableChar(uri.charAt(i)))
+            {
+                int code = Integer.parseInt(_code);
+
+                // status code 400 and up are error codes so include a reason
+                if (code >= 400)
+                {
+                    response.sendError(code,_reason);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    response.setStatus(code);
+                }
+
+                return target;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    protected boolean isPrintableChar(char c)
+    {
+        Character.UnicodeBlock block = Character.UnicodeBlock.of(c);
+        
+        return (!Character.isISOControl(c)) && block != null && block != Character.UnicodeBlock.SPECIALS;
+    }
+
+    public String toString()
+    {
+        return super.toString() + "[" + _code + ":" + _reason + "]";
+    }
+}
diff --git a/jetty-rewrite/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/rewrite/handler/ValidUrlRuleTest.java b/jetty-rewrite/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/rewrite/handler/ValidUrlRuleTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ebd558a1882
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jetty-rewrite/src/test/java/org/eclipse/jetty/rewrite/handler/ValidUrlRuleTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package org.eclipse.jetty.rewrite.handler;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import junit.framework.Assert;
+
+import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+public class ValidUrlRuleTest extends AbstractRuleTestCase
+{
+    private ValidUrlRule _rule;
+    
+    @Before
+    public void init() throws Exception
+    {
+        start(true);
+        _rule = new ValidUrlRule();
+    }
+    
+    @Test
+    public void testValidUrl() throws Exception
+    {
+        _rule.setCode("404");
+        _request.setRequestURI("/valid/uri.html");
+        
+        String result = _rule.matchAndApply(_request.getRequestURI(), _request, _response);
+
+        assertEquals(200,_response.getStatus());
+    }
+    
+    @Test
+    public void testInvalidUrl() throws Exception
+    {
+        _rule.setCode("404");
+        _request.setRequestURI("/invalid\u000c/uri.html");
+        
+        String result = _rule.matchAndApply(_request.getRequestURI(), _request, _response);
+
+        assertEquals(404,_response.getStatus());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testCharacters() throws Exception
+    {
+        // space
+        Assert.assertTrue( _rule.isPrintableChar("\u0020".charAt(0)));
+        // form feed
+        Assert.assertFalse( _rule.isPrintableChar("\u000c".charAt(0)));
+    }
+}
+