diff --git a/src/ol/format/xlinkformat.js b/src/ol/format/xlinkformat.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a01b61ec7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ol/format/xlinkformat.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+goog.provide('ol.format.XLink');
+
+
+/**
+ * @const
+ * @type {string}
+ */
+ol.format.XLink.NAMESPACE_URI = 'http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink';
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {Node} node Node.
+ * @return {boolean|undefined} Boolean.
+ */
+ol.format.XLink.readHref = function(node) {
+  return node.getAttributeNS(ol.format.XLink.NAMESPACE_URI, 'href');
+};