diff --git a/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js b/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
index 2fd8ddbc54..e957102d82 100644
--- a/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
+++ b/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 goog.provide('ol.format.XML');
 
+goog.require('goog.array');
 goog.require('goog.asserts');
+goog.require('goog.dom.NodeType');
 goog.require('goog.dom.xml');
 goog.require('ol.format.Format');
 goog.require('ol.format.FormatType');
@@ -17,57 +19,6 @@ ol.format.XML = function() {
 goog.inherits(ol.format.XML, ol.format.Format);
 
 
-/**
- * @param {Document|Node|Object|string} source Source.
- * @private
- * @return {Document} Document.
- */
-ol.format.XML.prototype.getDocument_ = function(source) {
-  if (source instanceof Document) {
-    return source;
-  } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
-    return goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
-  } else {
-    goog.asserts.fail();
-    return null;
-  }
-};
-
-
-/**
- * @param {Document|Node|Object|string} source Source.
- * @private
- * @return {Document|Node} Document.
- */
-ol.format.XML.prototype.getDocumentOrNode_ = function(source) {
-  if (source instanceof Document) {
-    return source;
-  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
-    return source;
-  } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
-    return goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
-  } else {
-    goog.asserts.fail();
-    return null;
-  }
-};
-
-
-/**
- * @param {Document|Node|Object|string} source Source.
- * @private
- * @return {Node} Node.
- */
-ol.format.XML.prototype.getNode_ = function(source) {
-  if (source instanceof Node) {
-    return source;
-  } else {
-    goog.asserts.fail();
-    return null;
-  }
-};
-
-
 /**
  * @inheritDoc
  */
@@ -80,7 +31,31 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.getType = function() {
  * @inheritDoc
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeature = function(source) {
-  return this.readFeatureFromNode(this.getNode_(source));
+  if (source instanceof Document) {
+    return this.readFeatureFromDocument(source);
+  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
+    return this.readFeatureFromNode(source);
+  } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
+    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    return this.readFeatureFromDocument(doc);
+  } else {
+    goog.asserts.fail();
+    return null;
+  }
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {Document} doc Document.
+ * @return {ol.Feature} Feature.
+ */
+ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeatureFromDocument = function(doc) {
+  var features = this.readFeaturesFromDocument(doc);
+  if (features.length > 0) {
+    return features[0];
+  } else {
+    return null;
+  }
 };
 
 
@@ -95,11 +70,13 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeatureFromNode = goog.abstractMethod;
  * @inheritDoc
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeatures = function(source) {
-  var documentOrNode = this.getDocumentOrNode_(source);
-  if (documentOrNode instanceof Document) {
-    return this.readFeaturesFromDocument(documentOrNode);
-  } else if (documentOrNode instanceof Node) {
-    return this.readFeaturesFromNode(documentOrNode);
+  if (source instanceof Document) {
+    return this.readFeaturesFromDocument(source);
+  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
+    return this.readFeaturesFromNode(source);
+  } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
+    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    return this.readFeaturesFromDocument(doc);
   } else {
     goog.asserts.fail();
     return null;
@@ -113,8 +90,15 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeatures = function(source) {
  * @return {Array.<ol.Feature>} Features.
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeaturesFromDocument = function(doc) {
-  goog.asserts.assert(doc.childNodes.length == 1);
-  return this.readFeaturesFromNode(doc.firstChild);
+  /** @type {Array.<ol.Feature>} */
+  var features = [];
+  var n;
+  for (n = doc.firstChild; !goog.isNull(n); n = n.nextSibling) {
+    if (n.nodeType == goog.dom.NodeType.ELEMENT) {
+      goog.array.extend(features, this.readFeaturesFromNode(n));
+    }
+  }
+  return features;
 };
 
 
@@ -130,10 +114,28 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeaturesFromNode = goog.abstractMethod;
  * @inheritDoc
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readGeometry = function(source) {
-  return this.readGeometryFromNode(this.getNode_(source));
+  if (source instanceof Document) {
+    return this.readGeometryFromDocument(source);
+  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
+    return this.readGeometryFromNode(source);
+  } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
+    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    return this.readGeometryFromDocument(doc);
+  } else {
+    goog.asserts.fail();
+    return null;
+  }
 };
 
 
+/**
+ * @param {Document} doc Document.
+ * @protected
+ * @return {ol.geom.Geometry} Geometry.
+ */
+ol.format.XML.prototype.readGeometryFromDocument = goog.abstractMethod;
+
+
 /**
  * @param {Node} node Node.
  * @protected
@@ -146,10 +148,28 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.readGeometryFromNode = goog.abstractMethod;
  * @inheritDoc
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readProjection = function(source) {
-  return this.readProjectionFromNode(this.getNode_(source));
+  if (source instanceof Document) {
+    return this.readProjectionFromDocument(source);
+  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
+    return this.readProjectionFromNode(source);
+  } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
+    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    return this.readProjectionFromDocument(doc);
+  } else {
+    goog.asserts.fail();
+    return null;
+  }
 };
 
 
+/**
+ * @param {Document} doc Document.
+ * @protected
+ * @return {ol.proj.Projection} Projection.
+ */
+ol.format.XML.prototype.readProjectionFromDocument = goog.abstractMethod;
+
+
 /**
  * @param {Node} node Node.
  * @protected