The @XStreamAlias annotation is ignored during unmarshalling for @XStreamAsAttribute annotated fields of a base class. A quick example of the failure: public abstract class BaseClass { @XStreamAlias("guid") @XStreamAsAttribute private Integer id; public Integer getId() { return id; } public void setId(Integer id) { this.id = id; } } @XStreamAlias("foo") public class Foo extends BaseClass { @XStreamAlias("fooname") @XStreamAsAttribute private String name; public Foo() { super(); } public String getName() { return name; } public void setName(String name) { this.name = name; } } Marshalling a Foo object to xml produces the correct content: <foo fooname="Name" guid="99"/> Unmarshalling this exact output, however, produces a Foo object that has only the Name set correctly, not the id (aliased as guid in the super class). Id is left null. I've attached an example Test program which demonstrates the break. Normal non-attribute fields' aliases are honored correctly from super classes, however.