diff --git a/nodes/core/parsers/70-XML.html b/nodes/core/parsers/70-XML.html
index 2671e68fb..da5ba6115 100644
--- a/nodes/core/parsers/70-XML.html
+++ b/nodes/core/parsers/70-XML.html
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
     </div>
     <div id="advanced-options">
         <div class="form-row">
-            <i class="fa fa-key"></i> <span data-i18n="xml.label.represent"></span> <input type="text" id="node-input-attr" style="width:20px !important">
+            <i class="fa fa-key"></i> <span data-i18n="xml.label.represent"></span> <input type="text" id="node-input-attr" style="width:20px !important" placeholder="$">
         </div>
         <div class="form-row">
-            <i class="fa fa-key"></i> <span data-i18n="xml.label.prefix"></span> <input type="text" id="node-input-chr" style="width:20px !important">
+            <i class="fa fa-key"></i> <span data-i18n="xml.label.prefix"></span> <input type="text" id="node-input-chr" style="width:20px !important" placeholder="_">
         </div>
         <div class="form-tips"><span data-i18n="xml.tip"></span></div>
     </div>
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@
     <p>A function that parses the <b>msg.payload</b> to convert xml to/from a javascript object. Places the result in the payload.</p>
     <p>If the input is a string it tries to parse it as XML and creates a javascript object.</p>
     <p>If the input is a javascript object it tries to build an XML string.</p>
-    <p>See <a href="https://github.com/Leonidas-from-XIV/node-xml2js/blob/master/README.md" target="_new">the xml2js docs <i>here</i></a> for more information.</p>
+    <p>You can also pass in a <b>msg.options</b> object to overide all the multitude of parameters. See
+    <a href="https://github.com/Leonidas-from-XIV/node-xml2js/blob/master/README.md" target="_new">the xml2js docs <i>here</i></a>
+     for more information.</p>
+     <p>If set, options in the edit dialogue override those passed in on the msg.options object.</p>
 </script>
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
@@ -45,8 +48,8 @@
         color:"#DEBD5C",
         defaults: {
             name: {value:""},
-            attr: {value:'$',required:true},
-            chr: {value:'_',required:true}
+            attr: {value:""},
+            chr: {value:""}
         },
         inputs:1,
         outputs:1,
diff --git a/nodes/core/parsers/70-XML.js b/nodes/core/parsers/70-XML.js
index 68cdd5d9d..00ffe7cbe 100644
--- a/nodes/core/parsers/70-XML.js
+++ b/nodes/core/parsers/70-XML.js
@@ -22,17 +22,25 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
 
     function XMLNode(n) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,n);
-        this.attrkey = n.attr || '$';
-        this.charkey = n.chr || '_';
+        this.attrkey = n.attr;
+        this.charkey = n.chr;
         var node = this;
         this.on("input", function(msg) {
             if (msg.hasOwnProperty("payload")) {
-                if (typeof msg.payload == "object") {
-                    msg.payload = builder.buildObject(msg.payload);
+                if (typeof msg.payload === "object") {
+                    var options = {};
+                    if (msg.hasOwnProperty("options") && typeof msg.options === "object") { options = msg.options; }
+                    options.async = false;
+                    msg.payload = builder.buildObject(msg.payload, options);
                     node.send(msg);
                 }
                 else if (typeof msg.payload == "string") {
-                    parseString(msg.payload, {strict:true,async:true,attrkey:node.attrkey,charkey:node.charkey}, function (err, result) {
+                    var options = {};
+                    if (msg.hasOwnProperty("options") && typeof msg.options === "object") { options = msg.options; }
+                    options.async = true;
+                    options.attrkey = node.attrkey || options.attrkey || '$';
+                    options.charkey = node.charkey || options.charkey || '_';
+                    parseString(msg.payload, options, function (err, result) {
                         if (err) { node.error(err, msg); }
                         else {
                             msg.payload = result;
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e9f116c60..d38f8d0ba 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
         "mustache": "2.1.2",
         "cron":"1.0.9",
         "raw-body":"2.1.2",
-        "xml2js":"0.4.9",
+        "xml2js":"0.4.12",
         "sentiment":"0.2.3",
         "follow-redirects":"0.0.6",
         "cors":"2.7.1",