diff --git a/metafacture-biblio/src/main/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoder.java b/metafacture-biblio/src/main/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoder.java
index 7b4440a4d..928859360 100644
--- a/metafacture-biblio/src/main/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoder.java
+++ b/metafacture-biblio/src/main/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoder.java
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ public String close(final Object[] args) {
     private static final int TAG_END = 3;
 
     private final StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
+    private final StringBuilder leaderBuilder = new StringBuilder();
 
     private boolean atStreamStart = true;
 
@@ -206,6 +207,7 @@ public void startRecord(final String identifier) {
 
     @Override
     public void endRecord() {
+        writeLeader();
         decrementIndentationLevel();
         prettyPrintIndentation();
         writeTag(Tag.record::close);
@@ -252,7 +254,7 @@ public void literal(final String name, final String value) {
                     builder.insert(recordAttributeOffset, String.format(ATTRIBUTE_TEMPLATE, name, value));
                 }
             }
-            else if (!writeLeader(name, value)) {
+            else if (!appendLeader(name, value)) {
                 prettyPrintIndentation();
                 writeTag(Tag.controlfield::open, name);
                 if (value != null) {
@@ -262,7 +264,7 @@ else if (!writeLeader(name, value)) {
                 prettyPrintNewLine();
             }
         }
-        else if (!writeLeader(currentEntity, value)) {
+        else if (!appendLeader(currentEntity, value)) {
             prettyPrintIndentation();
             writeTag(Tag.subfield::open, name);
             writeEscaped(value.trim());
@@ -316,6 +318,16 @@ private void writeRaw(final String str) {
         builder.append(str);
     }
 
+    private boolean appendLeader(final String name, final String value) {
+        if (name.equals(Marc21EventNames.LEADER_ENTITY)) {
+            leaderBuilder.append(value);
+            return true;
+        }
+        else {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
     * Writes an escaped sequence.
     *
@@ -325,18 +337,14 @@ private void writeEscaped(final String str) {
         builder.append(XmlUtil.escape(str, false));
     }
 
-    private boolean writeLeader(final String name, final String value) {
-        if (name.equals(Marc21EventNames.LEADER_ENTITY)) {
+    private void writeLeader() {
+        final String leader = leaderBuilder.toString();
+        if (!leader.isEmpty()) {
             prettyPrintIndentation();
             writeTag(Tag.leader::open);
-            writeRaw(value);
+            writeRaw(leader);
             writeTag(Tag.leader::close);
             prettyPrintNewLine();
-
-            return true;
-        }
-        else {
-            return false;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/metafacture-biblio/src/test/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoderTest.java b/metafacture-biblio/src/test/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoderTest.java
index bc6fb0d49..00f497b05 100644
--- a/metafacture-biblio/src/test/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoderTest.java
+++ b/metafacture-biblio/src/test/java/org/metafacture/biblio/marc21/MarcXmlEncoderTest.java
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@
 
 package org.metafacture.biblio.marc21;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import org.metafacture.framework.MetafactureException;
+import org.metafacture.framework.helpers.DefaultObjectReceiver;
 
-import org.junit.After;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
-import org.metafacture.framework.MetafactureException;
-import org.metafacture.framework.helpers.DefaultObjectReceiver;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 /**
  * Tests for class {@link MarcXmlEncoder}.
@@ -63,11 +63,7 @@ public void process(final String obj) {
         resultCollector = new StringBuilder();
     }
 
-    @After
-    public void tearDown() {
-    }
-
-    private void addOneRecord(MarcXmlEncoder encoder) {
+    private void addOneRecord(final MarcXmlEncoder encoder) {
         encoder.startRecord(RECORD_ID);
         encoder.literal("001", RECORD_ID);
         encoder.startEntity("010  ");
@@ -201,7 +197,7 @@ public void createAnRecordWithLeader() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void issue336_createRecordWithTopLevelLeader() {
+    public void issue336_createRecordWithTopLevelLeader_dummy() {
         encoder.startRecord("1");
         encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.LEADER_ENTITY, "dummy");
         encoder.endRecord();
@@ -212,6 +208,49 @@ public void issue336_createRecordWithTopLevelLeader() {
         assertEquals(expected, actual);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void issue336_createRecordWithTopLevelLeader_defaultMarc21Xml() {
+        issue336_createRecordWithTopLevelLeader(encoder, "00000naa a2200000uc 4500");
+    }
+
+    private void issue336_createRecordWithTopLevelLeader(final MarcXmlEncoder encoder, final String expectedLeader) {
+        encoder.startRecord("1");
+        encoder.literal("001", "8u3287432");
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.LEADER_ENTITY, "00000naa a2200000uc 4500");
+        encoder.endRecord();
+        encoder.closeStream();
+        String expected = XML_DECLARATION + XML_ROOT_OPEN
+            + "<marc:record><marc:controlfield tag=\"001\">8u3287432</marc:controlfield>" +
+            "<marc:leader>" + expectedLeader + "</marc:leader></marc:record>" + XML_MARC_COLLECTION_END_TAG;
+        String actual = resultCollector.toString();
+        assertEquals(expected, actual);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void issue527_shouldEmitLeaderAlwaysAsWholeString() {
+        issue527_shouldEmitLeaderAlwaysAsWholeString(encoder);
+    }
+
+    private void issue527_shouldEmitLeaderAlwaysAsWholeString(final MarcXmlEncoder encoder) {
+        encoder.startRecord("1");
+        encoder.startEntity(Marc21EventNames.LEADER_ENTITY);
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.RECORD_STATUS_LITERAL, "a");
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.RECORD_TYPE_LITERAL, "o");
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.BIBLIOGRAPHIC_LEVEL_LITERAL, "a");
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.TYPE_OF_CONTROL_LITERAL, " ");
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.CHARACTER_CODING_LITERAL, "a");
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.ENCODING_LEVEL_LITERAL, "z");
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.CATALOGING_FORM_LITERAL, "u");
+        encoder.literal(Marc21EventNames.MULTIPART_LEVEL_LITERAL, " ");
+        encoder.endEntity();
+        encoder.endRecord();
+        encoder.closeStream();
+        String expected = XML_DECLARATION + XML_ROOT_OPEN
+                + "<marc:record><marc:leader>aoa azu </marc:leader></marc:record>" + XML_MARC_COLLECTION_END_TAG;
+        String actual = resultCollector.toString();
+        assertEquals(expected, actual);
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void sendDataAndClearWhenRecordStartedAndStreamResets() {
         encoder.startRecord("1");