diff --git a/actionpack/CHANGELOG b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
index 982d236472..c7c28fe1bf 100644
--- a/actionpack/CHANGELOG
+++ b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Return the string representation from an Xml Builder when rendering a partial. Closes #5044 [tpope] 
+
 * Fixed that parameters from XML should also be presented in a hash with indifferent access [DHH]
 
 * Tweak template format rules so that the ACCEPT header is only used if it's text/javascript.  This is so ajax actions without a :format param get recognized as Mime::JS. [Rick]
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
index 5ae3e7ba11..519872ee85 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
@@ -526,7 +526,8 @@ def create_template_source(extension, template, render_symbol, locals)
             when :rxml, :builder
               "controller.response.content_type ||= Mime::XML\n" +
               "xml = Builder::XmlMarkup.new(:indent => 2)\n" +
-              template
+              template +
+              "\nxml.target!\n"
             when :rjs
               "controller.response.content_type ||= Mime::JS\n" +
               "update_page do |page|\n#{template}\nend"
diff --git a/actionpack/test/fixtures/test/hello_world.builder b/actionpack/test/fixtures/test/hello_world.builder
index bffd2191ba..8455b11edc 100644
--- a/actionpack/test/fixtures/test/hello_world.builder
+++ b/actionpack/test/fixtures/test/hello_world.builder
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 xml.html do
   xml.p "Hello"
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
+"String return value"