diff --git a/src/pkg/xml/read.go b/src/pkg/xml/read.go
index 786b69f5a32..f64e1300189 100644
--- a/src/pkg/xml/read.go
+++ b/src/pkg/xml/read.go
@@ -321,10 +321,9 @@ func (p *Parser) unmarshal(val reflect.Value, start *StartElement) os.Error {
 
 			// Save
 			v := sv.FieldByIndex(f.Index)
-			if _, ok := v.Interface().(Name); !ok {
-				return UnmarshalError(sv.Type().String() + " field XMLName does not have type xml.Name")
+			if _, ok := v.Interface().(Name); ok {
+				v.Set(reflect.ValueOf(start.Name))
 			}
-			v.Set(reflect.ValueOf(start.Name))
 		}
 
 		// Assign attributes.
diff --git a/src/pkg/xml/read_test.go b/src/pkg/xml/read_test.go
index 2126da3c751..d39c2d52a83 100644
--- a/src/pkg/xml/read_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/xml/read_test.go
@@ -369,3 +369,25 @@ var attrStruct = AttrTest{
 		Bool: true,
 	},
 }
+
+// test data for TestUnmarshalWithoutNameType
+
+const OK = "OK"
+const withoutNameTypeData = `
+<?xml version="1.0" charset="utf-8"?>
+<Test3 attr="OK" />`
+
+type TestThree struct {
+	XMLName bool   `xml:"Test3"` // XMLName field without an xml.Name type 
+	Attr    string `xml:"attr"`
+}
+
+func TestUnmarshalWithoutNameType(t *testing.T) {
+	var x TestThree
+	if err := Unmarshal(StringReader(withoutNameTypeData), &x); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Unmarshal: %s", err)
+	}
+	if x.Attr != OK {
+		t.Fatalf("have %v\nwant %v", x.Attr, OK)
+	}
+}