diff --git a/metafacture-biblio/src/main/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoder.java b/metafacture-biblio/src/main/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoder.java
index 3113a3243..402ba1e15 100644
--- a/metafacture-biblio/src/main/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoder.java
+++ b/metafacture-biblio/src/main/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoder.java
@@ -185,6 +185,15 @@ public void setFormatted(final boolean formatted) {
         encoder.setFormatted(formatted);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Flags whether to escape Unicode.
+     *
+     * @param escapeUnicode true if Unicode should be escaped
+     */
+    public void setEscapeUnicode(final boolean escapeUnicode) {
+        encoder.setEscapeUnicode(escapeUnicode);
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void startRecord(final String identifier) {
         pipe.startRecord(identifier);
@@ -242,6 +251,7 @@ private static class Encoder extends DefaultStreamPipe<ObjectReceiver<String>> {
         private Object[] namespacePrefix = new Object[]{NAMESPACE_PREFIX};
 
         private int indentationLevel;
+        private boolean escapeUnicode;
         private boolean formatted = PRETTY_PRINTED;
         private int recordAttributeOffset;
         private int recordLeaderOffset;
@@ -270,6 +280,10 @@ public void setFormatted(final boolean formatted) {
             this.formatted = formatted;
         }
 
+        public void setEscapeUnicode(final boolean escapeUnicode) {
+            this.escapeUnicode = escapeUnicode;
+        }
+
         @Override
         public void startRecord(final String identifier) {
             if (atStreamStart) {
@@ -434,7 +448,7 @@ private boolean appendLeader(final String name, final String value) {
          * @param str the unescaped sequence to be written
          */
         private void writeEscaped(final String str) {
-            builder.append(XmlUtil.escape(str, false));
+            builder.append(XmlUtil.escape(str, escapeUnicode));
         }
 
         private void writeLeader() {
diff --git a/metafacture-biblio/src/test/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoderTest.java b/metafacture-biblio/src/test/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoderTest.java
index a82acca03..baa64c020 100644
--- a/metafacture-biblio/src/test/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoderTest.java
+++ b/metafacture-biblio/src/test/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoderTest.java
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ public class MarcXmlEncoderTest {
     private static final String XML_MARC_COLLECTION_END_TAG = "</marc:collection>";
     private static final String RECORD_ID = "92005291";
 
+    private static final int UNICODE_CODE_POINT = 1048576;
+    private static final String UNICODE_STRING = Character.toString(UNICODE_CODE_POINT);
+
     private StringBuilder resultCollector;
     private int resultCollectorsResetStreamCount;
     private MarcXmlEncoder encoder;
@@ -171,6 +174,33 @@ public void createARecordWithEscapedSequences() {
         Assert.assertEquals(expected, actual);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void createARecordWithoutEscapedUnicode() {
+        encoder.startRecord(RECORD_ID);
+        encoder.literal("001", UNICODE_STRING);
+        encoder.endRecord();
+        encoder.onResetStream();
+        final String expected = XML_DECLARATION + XML_ROOT_OPEN + "<marc:record>" +
+                "<marc:controlfield tag=\"001\">\000</marc:controlfield>" + "</marc:record>" +
+                XML_MARC_COLLECTION_END_TAG;
+        final String actual = resultCollector.toString();
+        Assert.assertEquals(expected, actual);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void createARecordWithEscapedUnicode() {
+        encoder.setEscapeUnicode(true);
+        encoder.startRecord(RECORD_ID);
+        encoder.literal("001", UNICODE_STRING);
+        encoder.endRecord();
+        encoder.onResetStream();
+        final String expected = XML_DECLARATION + XML_ROOT_OPEN + "<marc:record>" +
+                "<marc:controlfield tag=\"001\">&#" + UNICODE_CODE_POINT + ";</marc:controlfield>" + "</marc:record>" +
+                XML_MARC_COLLECTION_END_TAG;
+        final String actual = resultCollector.toString();
+        Assert.assertEquals(expected, actual);
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void createTwoRecordsInOneCollection() {
         addOneRecord();