diff --git a/change_log.txt b/change_log.txt
index 6c9d8da5..59d2d92b 100644
--- a/change_log.txt
+++ b/change_log.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
  23.07.2016
   - bugfix setTemplateDir('/') and setTemplateDir('') did create wrong absolute filepath https://github.com/smarty-php/smarty/issues/245
   - optimization of filepath normalization
+  - improvement remove double funtion declaration in plugin shared.escape_special_cars.php https://github.com/smarty-php/smarty/issues/229
  
  19.07.2016
   - bugfix multiple {include} with relative filepath within {block}{/block} could fail https://github.com/smarty-php/smarty/issues/246
diff --git a/libs/plugins/shared.escape_special_chars.php b/libs/plugins/shared.escape_special_chars.php
index d3bd756b..b68fe4b9 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/shared.escape_special_chars.php
+++ b/libs/plugins/shared.escape_special_chars.php
@@ -6,48 +6,29 @@
  * @subpackage PluginsShared
  */
 
-if (version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '5.2.3', '>=')) {
-    /**
-     * escape_special_chars common function
-     * Function: smarty_function_escape_special_chars<br>
-     * Purpose:  used by other smarty functions to escape
-     *           special chars except for already escaped ones
-     *
-     * @author   Monte Ohrt <monte at ohrt dot com>
-     *
-     * @param  string $string text that should by escaped
-     *
-     * @return string
-     */
-    function smarty_function_escape_special_chars($string)
-    {
-        if (!is_array($string)) {
+/**
+ * escape_special_chars common function
+ * Function: smarty_function_escape_special_chars<br>
+ * Purpose:  used by other smarty functions to escape
+ *           special chars except for already escaped ones
+ *
+ * @author   Monte Ohrt <monte at ohrt dot com>
+ *
+ * @param  string $string text that should by escaped
+ *
+ * @return string
+ */
+function smarty_function_escape_special_chars($string)
+{
+    if (!is_array($string)) {
+        if (version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '5.2.3', '>=')) {
             $string = htmlspecialchars($string, ENT_COMPAT, Smarty::$_CHARSET, false);
-        }
-
-        return $string;
-    }
-} else {
-    /**
-     * escape_special_chars common function
-     * Function: smarty_function_escape_special_chars<br>
-     * Purpose:  used by other smarty functions to escape
-     *           special chars except for already escaped ones
-     *
-     * @author   Monte Ohrt <monte at ohrt dot com>
-     *
-     * @param  string $string text that should by escaped
-     *
-     * @return string
-     */
-    function smarty_function_escape_special_chars($string)
-    {
-        if (!is_array($string)) {
+        } else {
             $string = preg_replace('!&(#?\w+);!', '%%%SMARTY_START%%%\\1%%%SMARTY_END%%%', $string);
             $string = htmlspecialchars($string);
             $string = str_replace(array('%%%SMARTY_START%%%', '%%%SMARTY_END%%%'), array('&', ';'), $string);
         }
-
-        return $string;
     }
+
+    return $string;
 }