diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/tests/test_translate.py b/openerp/addons/base/tests/test_translate.py
index c3691563aef..ce3e7fd51ae 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/tests/test_translate.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/tests/test_translate.py
@@ -96,3 +96,28 @@ class TranslationToolsTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(result, source)
         self.assertItemsEqual(terms,
             ['stuff before', 'stuff after'])
+
+    def test_translate_xml_off(self):
+        """ Test xml_translate() with attribute translate="off". """
+        terms = []
+        source = """<div>
+                        stuff before
+                        <div translation="off">Do not translate this</div>
+                        stuff after
+                    </div>"""
+        result = xml_translate(terms.append, source)
+        self.assertEquals(result, source)
+        self.assertItemsEqual(terms,
+            ['stuff before', 'stuff after'])
+
+    def test_translate_xml_attribute(self):
+        """ Test xml_translate() with <attribute> elements. """
+        terms = []
+        source = """<field name="foo" position="attributes">
+                        <attribute name="string">Translate this</attribute>
+                        <attribute name="option">Do not translate this</attribute>
+                    </field>"""
+        result = xml_translate(terms.append, source)
+        self.assertEquals(result, source)
+        self.assertItemsEqual(terms,
+            ['Translate this'])
diff --git a/openerp/tools/translate.py b/openerp/tools/translate.py
index b4e54b06537..2c2bdaffab2 100644
--- a/openerp/tools/translate.py
+++ b/openerp/tools/translate.py
@@ -219,8 +219,13 @@ class XMLTranslator(object):
 
     def process(self, node):
         """ Process the given xml `node`: collect `todo` and `done` items. """
-        if isinstance(node, SKIPPED_ELEMENT_TYPES) or node.tag in SKIPPED_ELEMENTS:
-            # serialize the node as done, but keep its tail as todo
+        if (
+            isinstance(node, SKIPPED_ELEMENT_TYPES) or
+            node.tag in SKIPPED_ELEMENTS or
+            node.get("translation", "").strip() == "off" or
+            node.tag == "attribute" and node.get("name") not in TRANSLATED_ATTRS
+        ):
+            # do not translate the contents of the node
             tail, node.tail = node.tail, None
             self.done(etree.tostring(node))
             self.todo(escape(tail or ""))