diff --git a/pmd/src/main/resources/rulesets/vm/basic.xml b/pmd/src/main/resources/rulesets/vm/basic.xml
index ea3c721261..0ac54e7586 100644
--- a/pmd/src/main/resources/rulesets/vm/basic.xml
+++ b/pmd/src/main/resources/rulesets/vm/basic.xml
@@ -89,17 +89,26 @@ Avoid unused macro parameters. They should be deleted.
 	    <description>
 Avoid inline JavaScript. Import .js files instead.
 	    </description>
-	    <priority>2</priority><!-- 
+	    <priority>2</priority>
+	</rule>
+	
+    <rule name="NoInlineStyles"
+    	  since="5.1"
+        message="Avoid inline styles" language="vm" 
+        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule">
+	    <description>
+Avoid inline styles. Use css classes instead.
+	    </description>
+	    <priority>2</priority>
 		<properties>
 			<property name="xpath">
 				<value>
 					<![CDATA[ 
-	//Text[matches(@literal, "<[Ss][Cc][Rr][Ii][Pp][Tt]\s[^>]*([sS][rR][cC]){0}+")]
+	//Text[matches(@literal, "<[^>]+\s[sS][tT][yY][lL][eE]\s*=")]
 					 ]]>
 				</value>
 			</property>
 		</properties>
-		 -->
 	</rule>
 	  
 </ruleset>
diff --git a/pmd/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/vm/rule/basic/BasicRulesTest.java b/pmd/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/vm/rule/basic/BasicRulesTest.java
index 3671a6aa52..15d286a921 100644
--- a/pmd/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/vm/rule/basic/BasicRulesTest.java
+++ b/pmd/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/vm/rule/basic/BasicRulesTest.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ public class BasicRulesTest extends SimpleAggregatorTst {
         addRule(RULESET, "EmptyForeachStmtRule");
         addRule(RULESET, "UnusedMacroParameter");
         addRule(RULESET, "NoInlineJavaScript");
+        addRule(RULESET, "NoInlineStyles");
     }
 
     public static junit.framework.Test suite() {
diff --git a/pmd/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/vm/rule/basic/xml/NoInlineStyles.xml b/pmd/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/vm/rule/basic/xml/NoInlineStyles.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bafd9754c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pmd/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/vm/rule/basic/xml/NoInlineStyles.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<test-data>
+    <test-code>
+        <description><![CDATA[
+Bad example #1
+     ]]></description>
+        <expected-problems>1</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+<h2 style = "color=blue;">text</h2>
+     ]]></code>
+    <source-type>vm</source-type>
+    </test-code>
+
+    <test-code>
+        <description><![CDATA[
+Good example #1
+     ]]></description>
+        <expected-problems>0</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+There is nothing here
+     ]]></code>
+    <source-type>vm</source-type>
+    </test-code>
+    
+</test-data>