diff --git a/hy_base/xml.hy b/hy_base/xml.hy
index 211abde..98cff1b 100644
--- a/hy_base/xml.hy
+++ b/hy_base/xml.hy
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@
         (setv subchildren (get child "children"))
         (if subchildren (xmlchild new_parent subchildren))))))
 
-(defn xmln [tag &optional attrs children text]
-  "XMLNode with default children, not attributes"
-  (setv children (or (if text [text] children) []))
-  {"tag" tag "attrs" (or attrs {}) "children" children}
-)
+(defn xmln [tag &optional attrs children]
+  "XMLNode with optional attributes or children, defaults according to second
+  argument type or empty dict and list"
+  (if (and attrs (not children))
+    (if (instance? list attrs)
+      (do (setv children attrs) (setv attrs {}))))
+  {"tag" tag "attrs" (or attrs {}) "children" (or children [])})