diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/BeanDefinitionParserDelegate.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/BeanDefinitionParserDelegate.java
index b0719aa07db..eb86869264e 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/BeanDefinitionParserDelegate.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/BeanDefinitionParserDelegate.java
@@ -1417,4 +1417,14 @@ public class BeanDefinitionParserDelegate {
 	public boolean nodeNameEquals(Node node, String desiredName) {
 		return DomUtils.nodeNameEquals(node, desiredName);
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Gets the local name for the supplied {@link Node}. The default implementation calls {@link Node#getLocalName}.
+	 * Subclasses may override the default implementation to provide a different mechanism for getting the local name.
+	 * @param node the <code>Node</code>
+	 * @return the local name of the supplied <code>Node</code>.
+	 */
+	public String getLocalName(Node node) {
+		return node.getLocalName();
+	}
 }
diff --git a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/NamespaceHandlerSupport.java b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/NamespaceHandlerSupport.java
index ae1e28e3d17..ee996402b83 100644
--- a/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/NamespaceHandlerSupport.java
+++ b/org.springframework.beans/src/main/java/org/springframework/beans/factory/xml/NamespaceHandlerSupport.java
@@ -77,10 +77,11 @@ public abstract class NamespaceHandlerSupport implements NamespaceHandler {
 	 * the local name of the supplied {@link Element}.
 	 */
 	private BeanDefinitionParser findParserForElement(Element element, ParserContext parserContext) {
-		BeanDefinitionParser parser = this.parsers.get(element.getLocalName());
+		String localName = parserContext.getDelegate().getLocalName(element);
+		BeanDefinitionParser parser = this.parsers.get(localName);
 		if (parser == null) {
 			parserContext.getReaderContext().fatal(
-					"Cannot locate BeanDefinitionParser for element [" + element.getLocalName() + "]", element);
+					"Cannot locate BeanDefinitionParser for element [" + localName + "]", element);
 		}
 		return parser;
 	}
@@ -102,11 +103,12 @@ public abstract class NamespaceHandlerSupport implements NamespaceHandler {
 	 */
 	private BeanDefinitionDecorator findDecoratorForNode(Node node, ParserContext parserContext) {
 		BeanDefinitionDecorator decorator = null;
+		String localName = parserContext.getDelegate().getLocalName(node);
 		if (node instanceof Element) {
-			decorator = this.decorators.get(node.getLocalName());
+			decorator = this.decorators.get(localName);
 		}
 		else if (node instanceof Attr) {
-			decorator = this.attributeDecorators.get(node.getLocalName());
+			decorator = this.attributeDecorators.get(localName);
 		}
 		else {
 			parserContext.getReaderContext().fatal(
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@ public abstract class NamespaceHandlerSupport implements NamespaceHandler {
 		}
 		if (decorator == null) {
 			parserContext.getReaderContext().fatal("Cannot locate BeanDefinitionDecorator for " +
-					(node instanceof Element ? "element" : "attribute") + " [" + node.getLocalName() + "]", node);
+					(node instanceof Element ? "element" : "attribute") + " [" + localName + "]", node);
 		}
 		return decorator;
 	}