diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/test/i18n_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/test/i18n_spec.ts
index 425e263584..152ea3521f 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/test/i18n_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler-cli/integrationtest/test/i18n_spec.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,27 @@ describe('template i18n extraction output', () => {
 
   it('should extract i18n messages', () => {
     const EXPECTED = `<? xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
+<!DOCTYPE messagebundle [
+<!ELEMENT messagebundle (msg)*>
+<!ATTLIST messagebundle class CDATA #IMPLIED>
+
+<!ELEMENT msg (#PCDATA|ph|source)*>
+<!ATTLIST msg id CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg seq CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg name CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg desc CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg meaning CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg obsolete (obsolete) #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg xml:space (default|preserve) "default">
+<!ATTLIST msg is_hidden CDATA #IMPLIED>
+
+<!ELEMENT source (#PCDATA)>
+
+<!ELEMENT ph (#PCDATA|ex)*>
+<!ATTLIST ph name CDATA #REQUIRED>
+
+<!ELEMENT ex (#PCDATA)>
+]>
 <messagebundle>
   <msg id="5a2858f1" desc="desc" meaning="meaning">translate me</msg>
 </messagebundle>`;
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler/src/i18n/serializers/xmb.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler/src/i18n/serializers/xmb.ts
index edefda47d0..05976e7577 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler/src/i18n/serializers/xmb.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler/src/i18n/serializers/xmb.ts
@@ -18,11 +18,29 @@ const _MESSAGE_TAG = 'msg';
 const _PLACEHOLDER_TAG = 'ph';
 const _EXEMPLE_TAG = 'ex';
 
+const _DOCTYPE = `<!ELEMENT messagebundle (msg)*>
+<!ATTLIST messagebundle class CDATA #IMPLIED>
+
+<!ELEMENT msg (#PCDATA|ph|source)*>
+<!ATTLIST msg id CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg seq CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg name CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg desc CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg meaning CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg obsolete (obsolete) #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg xml:space (default|preserve) "default">
+<!ATTLIST msg is_hidden CDATA #IMPLIED>
+
+<!ELEMENT source (#PCDATA)>
+
+<!ELEMENT ph (#PCDATA|ex)*>
+<!ATTLIST ph name CDATA #REQUIRED>
+
+<!ELEMENT ex (#PCDATA)>`;
+
 export class Xmb implements Serializer {
-  // TODO(vicb): DOCTYPE
   write(messageMap: {[k: string]: i18n.Message}): string {
     const visitor = new _Visitor();
-    const declaration = new xml.Declaration({version: '1.0', encoding: 'UTF-8'});
     let rootNode = new xml.Tag(_MESSAGES_TAG);
     rootNode.children.push(new xml.Text('\n'));
 
@@ -44,7 +62,9 @@ export class Xmb implements Serializer {
     });
 
     return xml.serialize([
-      declaration,
+      new xml.Declaration({version: '1.0', encoding: 'UTF-8'}),
+      new xml.Text('\n'),
+      new xml.Doctype(_MESSAGES_TAG, _DOCTYPE),
       new xml.Text('\n'),
       rootNode,
     ]);
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler/src/i18n/serializers/xml_helper.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler/src/i18n/serializers/xml_helper.ts
index e088fb5f8b..3adf5b7f36 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler/src/i18n/serializers/xml_helper.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler/src/i18n/serializers/xml_helper.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export interface IVisitor {
   visitTag(tag: Tag): any;
   visitText(text: Text): any;
   visitDeclaration(decl: Declaration): any;
+  visitDoctype(doctype: Doctype): any;
 }
 
 class _Visitor implements IVisitor {
@@ -36,6 +37,10 @@ class _Visitor implements IVisitor {
                          .join(' ');
     return strAttrs.length > 0 ? ' ' + strAttrs : '';
   }
+
+  visitDoctype(doctype: Doctype): any {
+    return `<!DOCTYPE ${doctype.rootTag} [\n${doctype.dtd}\n]>`;
+  }
 }
 
 const _visitor = new _Visitor();
@@ -58,6 +63,12 @@ export class Declaration implements Node {
   visit(visitor: IVisitor): any { return visitor.visitDeclaration(this); }
 }
 
+export class Doctype implements Node {
+  constructor(public rootTag: string, public dtd: string){};
+
+  visit(visitor: IVisitor): any { return visitor.visitDoctype(this); }
+}
+
 export class Tag implements Node {
   public attrs: {[k: string]: string} = {};
 
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler/test/i18n/serializers/xmb_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler/test/i18n/serializers/xmb_spec.ts
index fbfb4a36a5..9c35f75fea 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler/test/i18n/serializers/xmb_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler/test/i18n/serializers/xmb_spec.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,27 @@ export function main(): void {
 <p i18n>{ count, plural, =0 { { sex, gender, other {<p>deeply nested</p>}} }}</p>`;
 
     const XMB = `<? xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
+<!DOCTYPE messagebundle [
+<!ELEMENT messagebundle (msg)*>
+<!ATTLIST messagebundle class CDATA #IMPLIED>
+
+<!ELEMENT msg (#PCDATA|ph|source)*>
+<!ATTLIST msg id CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg seq CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg name CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg desc CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg meaning CDATA #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg obsolete (obsolete) #IMPLIED>
+<!ATTLIST msg xml:space (default|preserve) "default">
+<!ATTLIST msg is_hidden CDATA #IMPLIED>
+
+<!ELEMENT source (#PCDATA)>
+
+<!ELEMENT ph (#PCDATA|ex)*>
+<!ATTLIST ph name CDATA #REQUIRED>
+
+<!ELEMENT ex (#PCDATA)>
+]>
 <messagebundle>
   <msg id="834fa53b">translatable element <ph name="START_BOLD_TEXT"><ex>&lt;b&gt;</ex></ph>with placeholders<ph name="CLOSE_BOLD_TEXT"><ex>&lt;/b&gt;</ex></ph> <ph name="INTERPOLATION"/></msg>
   <msg id="7a2843db">{ count, plural, =0 {<ph name="START_PARAGRAPH"><ex>&lt;p&gt;</ex></ph>test<ph name="CLOSE_PARAGRAPH"><ex>&lt;/p&gt;</ex></ph>}}</msg>
diff --git a/modules/@angular/compiler/test/i18n/serializers/xtb_spec.ts b/modules/@angular/compiler/test/i18n/serializers/xtb_spec.ts
index 434d48692b..372d22b345 100644
--- a/modules/@angular/compiler/test/i18n/serializers/xtb_spec.ts
+++ b/modules/@angular/compiler/test/i18n/serializers/xtb_spec.ts
@@ -32,9 +32,26 @@ export function main(): void {
 
 
     describe('load', () => {
+      it('should load XTB files with a doctype', () => {
+        const XTB = `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!DOCTYPE translationbundle [<!ELEMENT translationbundle (translation)*>
+<!ATTLIST translationbundle lang CDATA #REQUIRED>
+
+<!ELEMENT translation (#PCDATA|ph)*>
+<!ATTLIST translation id CDATA #REQUIRED>
+
+<!ELEMENT ph EMPTY>
+<!ATTLIST ph name CDATA #REQUIRED>
+]>
+<translationbundle>
+  <translation id="foo">bar</translation>
+</translationbundle>`;
+
+        expect(loadAsText(XTB, {})).toEqual({foo: 'bar'});
+      });
+
       it('should load XTB files without placeholders', () => {
-        const XTB = `
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+        const XTB = `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <translationbundle>
   <translation id="foo">bar</translation>
 </translationbundle>`;
@@ -43,8 +60,7 @@ export function main(): void {
       });
 
       it('should load XTB files with placeholders', () => {
-        const XTB = `
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+        const XTB = `<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <translationbundle>
   <translation id="foo">bar<ph name="PLACEHOLDER"/><ph name="PLACEHOLDER"/></translation>
 </translationbundle>`;
@@ -53,8 +69,7 @@ export function main(): void {
       });
 
       it('should load complex XTB files', () => {
-        const XTB = `
-<? xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
+        const XTB = `<? xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
 <translationbundle>
   <translation id="a">translatable element <ph name="START_BOLD_TEXT"><ex>&lt;b&gt;</ex></ph>with placeholders<ph name="CLOSE_BOLD_TEXT"><ex>&lt;/b&gt;</ex></ph> <ph name="INTERPOLATION"/></translation>
   <translation id="b">{ count, plural, =0 {<ph name="START_PARAGRAPH"><ex>&lt;p&gt;</ex></ph>test<ph name="CLOSE_PARAGRAPH"><ex>&lt;/p&gt;</ex></ph>}}</translation>
@@ -98,8 +113,7 @@ export function main(): void {
       });
 
       it('should throw on nested <translation>', () => {
-        const XTB = `
-<translationbundle>
+        const XTB = `<translationbundle>
   <translation id="outer">
     <translation id="inner">
     </translation>
@@ -112,8 +126,7 @@ export function main(): void {
       });
 
       it('should throw when a <translation> has no id attribute', () => {
-        const XTB = `
-<translationbundle>
+        const XTB = `<translationbundle>
   <translation></translation>
 </translationbundle>`;
 
@@ -123,8 +136,7 @@ export function main(): void {
       });
 
       it('should throw when a placeholder has no name attribute', () => {
-        const XTB = `
-<translationbundle>
+        const XTB = `<translationbundle>
   <translation id="fail"><ph /></translation>
 </translationbundle>`;
 
@@ -134,8 +146,7 @@ export function main(): void {
       });
 
       it('should throw when a placeholder is not present in the source message', () => {
-        const XTB = `
-<translationbundle>
+        const XTB = `<translationbundle>
   <translation id="fail"><ph name="UNKNOWN"/></translation>
 </translationbundle>`;
 
@@ -146,8 +157,7 @@ export function main(): void {
     });
 
     it('should throw when the translation results in invalid html', () => {
-      const XTB = `
-<translationbundle>
+      const XTB = `<translationbundle>
   <translation id="fail">foo<ph name="CLOSE_P"/>bar</translation>
 </translationbundle>`;