diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6d562c9..c2e1e0f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,28 +12,30 @@ const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(htmlBytes);
 
 The passed bytes are given as a `Uint8Array`; the Node.js `Buffer` subclass of `Uint8Array` will also work, as shown above.
 
-The returned value will be an [encoding label](https://encoding.spec.whatwg.org/#names-and-labels), and in particular, the label which is a lowercased version of the encoding's name. You might then combine this with the [`@exodus/bytes`](https://github.com/ExodusOSS/bytes/) package to decode the result:
+The returned value will be a canonical [encoding name](https://encoding.spec.whatwg.org/#names-and-labels) (not a label). You might then combine this with the [`@exodus/bytes`](https://github.com/ExodusOSS/bytes/) package to decode the result:
 
 ```js
 const { TextDecoder } = require("@exodus/bytes");
-const htmlString = (new TextEncoder(sniffedEncoding)).decode(htmlBytes);
+const htmlString = (new TextDecoder(sniffedEncoding)).decode(htmlBytes);
 ```
 
 ## Options
 
-You can pass two potential options to `htmlEncodingSniffer`:
+You can pass the following options to `htmlEncodingSniffer`:
 
 ```js
 const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(htmlBytes, {
+  xml,
   transportLayerEncodingLabel,
-  defaultEncoding
+  defaultEncoding,
 });
 ```
 
-These represent two possible inputs into the [encoding sniffing algorithm](https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/syntax.html#encoding-sniffing-algorithm):
+The `xml` option is a boolean, defaulting to `false`. If set to `true`, then we bypass the [HTML encoding sniffing algorithm](https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/syntax.html#encoding-sniffing-algorithm) and compute the encoding based on the presence of a BOM, or the other options provided. (In the future, we may perform sniffing of the `<?xml?>` declaration, but for now that is not implemented.)
 
-- `transportLayerEncodingLabel` is an encoding label that is obtained from the "transport layer" (probably a HTTP `Content-Type` header), which overrides everything but a BOM.
-- `defaultEncoding` is the ultimate fallback encoding used if no valid encoding is supplied by the transport layer, and no encoding is sniffed from the bytes. It defaults to `"windows-1252"`, as recommended by the algorithm's table of suggested defaults for "All other locales" (including the `en` locale).
+The `transportLayerEncodingLabel` is an encoding label that is obtained from the "transport layer" (probably a HTTP `Content-Type` header), which overrides everything but a BOM.
+
+The `defaultEncoding` is the ultimate fallback encoding used if no valid encoding is supplied by the transport layer, and no encoding is sniffed from the bytes. For HTML, it defaults to `"windows-1252"`, as recommended by the algorithm's table of suggested defaults for "All other locales" (including the `en` locale). For XML, it defaults to `"UTF-8"`.
 
 ## Credits
 
diff --git a/lib/html-encoding-sniffer.js b/lib/html-encoding-sniffer.js
index b6a97c9..08a92d3 100644
--- a/lib/html-encoding-sniffer.js
+++ b/lib/html-encoding-sniffer.js
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
 "use strict";
-const { getBOMEncoding, normalizeEncoding: labelToName } = require("@exodus/bytes/encoding-lite.js");
+const { getBOMEncoding, labelToName } = require("@exodus/bytes/encoding-lite.js");
 
 // https://html.spec.whatwg.org/#encoding-sniffing-algorithm
-module.exports = (uint8Array, { transportLayerEncodingLabel, defaultEncoding = "windows-1252" } = {}) => {
-  let encoding = getBOMEncoding(uint8Array);
+module.exports = (uint8Array, { xml = false, transportLayerEncodingLabel, defaultEncoding } = {}) => {
+  if (defaultEncoding === undefined) {
+    defaultEncoding = xml ? "UTF-8" : "windows-1252";
+  }
+
+  let encoding = labelToName(getBOMEncoding(uint8Array));
 
   if (encoding === null && transportLayerEncodingLabel !== undefined) {
     encoding = labelToName(transportLayerEncodingLabel);
   }
 
-  if (encoding === null) {
+  if (encoding === null && !xml) {
     encoding = prescanMetaCharset(uint8Array);
   }
 
@@ -86,8 +90,8 @@ function prescanMetaCharset(uint8Array) {
           continue;
         }
 
-        if (charset === "utf-16le" || charset === "utf-16be") {
-          charset = "utf-8";
+        if (charset === "UTF-16LE" || charset === "UTF-16BE") {
+          charset = "UTF-8";
         }
         if (charset === "x-user-defined") {
           charset = "windows-1252";
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index efc8996..84b20b7 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
       "version": "5.0.0",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@exodus/bytes": "^1.2.0"
+        "@exodus/bytes": "^1.6.0"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@domenic/eslint-config": "^4.0.1",
@@ -188,9 +188,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@exodus/bytes": {
-      "version": "1.2.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@exodus/bytes/-/bytes-1.2.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-csqCicCB213ZYHbPZa4ljMQEH2GH2au7M2Q4feh3cGst7nYNilT5lfKF2LSqQEhaPsBX8XzlJeM2q/4hTl1ueA==",
+      "version": "1.6.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@exodus/bytes/-/bytes-1.6.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-y32mI9627q5LR/L8fLc4YyDRJQOi+jK0D9okzLilAdiU3F9we3zC7Y7CFrR/8vAvUyv7FgBAYcNHtvbmhKCFcw==",
       "license": "MIT",
       "engines": {
         "node": "^20.19.0 || ^22.12.0 || >=24.0.0"
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4dab3de..91e4481 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     "lint": "eslint"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@exodus/bytes": "^1.2.0"
+    "@exodus/bytes": "^1.6.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@domenic/eslint-config": "^4.0.1",
diff --git a/test/fixtures/bom/utf-16be.html b/test/fixtures/bom/UTF-16BE.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/bom/utf-16be.html
rename to test/fixtures/bom/UTF-16BE.html
diff --git a/test/fixtures/bom/utf-16le.html b/test/fixtures/bom/UTF-16LE.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/bom/utf-16le.html
rename to test/fixtures/bom/UTF-16LE.html
diff --git a/test/fixtures/bom/utf-8.html b/test/fixtures/bom/UTF-8.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/bom/utf-8.html
rename to test/fixtures/bom/UTF-8.html
diff --git a/test/fixtures/normal/charset-bracket_utf-8.html b/test/fixtures/normal/charset-bracket_UTF-8.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/normal/charset-bracket_utf-8.html
rename to test/fixtures/normal/charset-bracket_UTF-8.html
diff --git a/test/fixtures/normal/charset-short-comment_iso-8859-2.html b/test/fixtures/normal/charset-short-comment_ISO-8859-2.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/normal/charset-short-comment_iso-8859-2.html
rename to test/fixtures/normal/charset-short-comment_ISO-8859-2.html
diff --git a/test/fixtures/normal/charset_koi8-r.html b/test/fixtures/normal/charset_KOI8-R.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/normal/charset_koi8-r.html
rename to test/fixtures/normal/charset_KOI8-R.html
diff --git a/test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-no-quotes_iso-8859-5.html b/test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-no-quotes_ISO-8859-5.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-no-quotes_iso-8859-5.html
rename to test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-no-quotes_ISO-8859-5.html
diff --git a/test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-second-charset_iso-8859-2.html b/test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-second-charset_ISO-8859-2.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-second-charset_iso-8859-2.html
rename to test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-second-charset_ISO-8859-2.html
diff --git a/test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-trailing-space_iso-8859-2.html b/test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-trailing-space_ISO-8859-2.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-trailing-space_iso-8859-2.html
rename to test/fixtures/normal/http-equiv-trailing-space_ISO-8859-2.html
diff --git a/test/tests.js b/test/tests.js
index dadd8b7..4903e9a 100644
--- a/test/tests.js
+++ b/test/tests.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path.resolve(__dirname, "fixtures/bom"))) {
     it(`should sniff as ${desiredEncoding}, given overriding options`, () => {
       const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
         transportLayerEncodingLabel: "windows-1252",
-        defaultEncoding: "utf-16le"
+        defaultEncoding: "UTF-16LE"
       });
 
       assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, desiredEncoding);
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path.resolve(__dirname, "fixtures/normal"))) {
     it("should sniff as the transport layer encoding, given that", () => {
       const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
         transportLayerEncodingLabel: "windows-1251",
-        defaultEncoding: "iso-8859-16"
+        defaultEncoding: "ISO-8859-16"
       });
 
       assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "windows-1251");
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path.resolve(__dirname, "fixtures/normal"))) {
 
     it(`should sniff as ${desiredEncoding}, given only a default encoding`, () => {
       const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
-        defaultEncoding: "iso-8859-16"
+        defaultEncoding: "ISO-8859-16"
       });
 
       assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, desiredEncoding);
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path.resolve(__dirname, "fixtures/no-result"))
     it("should sniff as the transport layer encoding, given that", () => {
       const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
         transportLayerEncodingLabel: "windows-1251",
-        defaultEncoding: "iso-8859-16"
+        defaultEncoding: "ISO-8859-16"
       });
 
       assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "windows-1251");
@@ -87,10 +87,10 @@ for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path.resolve(__dirname, "fixtures/no-result"))
 
     it("should sniff as the default encoding, given that", () => {
       const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
-        defaultEncoding: "iso-8859-16"
+        defaultEncoding: "ISO-8859-16"
       });
 
-      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "iso-8859-16");
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "ISO-8859-16");
     });
   });
 }
@@ -102,13 +102,13 @@ for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path.resolve(__dirname, "fixtures/utf"))) {
     it("should sniff as UTF-8, given no options", () => {
       const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer);
 
-      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "utf-8");
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "UTF-8");
     });
 
     it("should sniff as the transport layer encoding, given that", () => {
       const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
         transportLayerEncodingLabel: "windows-1251",
-        defaultEncoding: "iso-8859-16"
+        defaultEncoding: "ISO-8859-16"
       });
 
       assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "windows-1251");
@@ -117,10 +117,111 @@ for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path.resolve(__dirname, "fixtures/utf"))) {
 
     it("should sniff as UTF-8, given only a default encoding", () => {
       const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
-        defaultEncoding: "iso-8859-16"
+        defaultEncoding: "ISO-8859-16"
       });
 
-      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "utf-8");
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "UTF-8");
     });
   });
 }
+
+describe("xml: true", () => {
+  describe("BOM detection", () => {
+    for (const file of fs.readdirSync(path.resolve(__dirname, "fixtures/bom"))) {
+      const buffer = read(`fixtures/bom/${file}`);
+      const desiredEncoding = path.basename(file, ".html");
+
+      it(`should sniff ${file} as ${desiredEncoding}`, () => {
+        const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, { xml: true });
+
+        assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, desiredEncoding);
+      });
+
+      it(`should sniff ${file} as ${desiredEncoding}, given overriding options`, () => {
+        const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
+          xml: true,
+          transportLayerEncodingLabel: "windows-1252",
+          defaultEncoding: "ISO-8859-1"
+        });
+
+        assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, desiredEncoding);
+      });
+    }
+  });
+
+  describe("UTF-32 BOMs (not recognized, should fall back to default)", () => {
+    it("should ignore UTF-32BE BOM and return UTF-8", () => {
+      // UTF-32BE BOM: 00 00 FE FF
+      const buffer = new Uint8Array([0x00, 0x00, 0xFE, 0xFF, 0x3C, 0x3F, 0x78, 0x6D, 0x6C]);
+      const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, { xml: true });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "UTF-8");
+    });
+
+    it("should detect UTF-32LE BOM as UTF-16LE (since FF FE prefix matches)", () => {
+      // UTF-32LE BOM: FF FE 00 00 — but FF FE is also UTF-16LE BOM
+      const buffer = new Uint8Array([0xFF, 0xFE, 0x00, 0x00, 0x3C, 0x3F, 0x78, 0x6D, 0x6C]);
+      const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, { xml: true });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "UTF-16LE");
+    });
+
+    it("should ignore UTF-32BE BOM and use transport layer encoding if provided", () => {
+      const buffer = new Uint8Array([0x00, 0x00, 0xFE, 0xFF, 0x3C, 0x3F, 0x78, 0x6D, 0x6C]);
+      const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
+        xml: true,
+        transportLayerEncodingLabel: "KOI8-R"
+      });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "KOI8-R");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("meta charset ignored", () => {
+    it("should ignore meta charset and return UTF-8 default", () => {
+      const buffer = read("fixtures/normal/charset_KOI8-R.html");
+      const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, { xml: true });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "UTF-8");
+    });
+
+    it("should ignore meta charset but use transport layer encoding", () => {
+      const buffer = read("fixtures/normal/charset_KOI8-R.html");
+      const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
+        xml: true,
+        transportLayerEncodingLabel: "ISO-8859-2"
+      });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "ISO-8859-2");
+    });
+
+    it("should ignore meta charset but use custom default encoding", () => {
+      const buffer = read("fixtures/normal/charset_KOI8-R.html");
+      const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
+        xml: true,
+        defaultEncoding: "windows-1252"
+      });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "windows-1252");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("default encoding", () => {
+    it("should default to UTF-8 for XML", () => {
+      const buffer = read("fixtures/no-result/no-indicators_windows-1252.html");
+      const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, { xml: true });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "UTF-8");
+    });
+
+    it("should allow overriding the default encoding", () => {
+      const buffer = read("fixtures/no-result/no-indicators_windows-1252.html");
+      const sniffedEncoding = htmlEncodingSniffer(buffer, {
+        xml: true,
+        defaultEncoding: "ISO-8859-1"
+      });
+
+      assert.strictEqual(sniffedEncoding, "ISO-8859-1");
+    });
+  });
+});