diff --git a/src/dzitilesource.js b/src/dzitilesource.js
index 6a9b0a30..fbb4d2dc 100644
--- a/src/dzitilesource.js
+++ b/src/dzitilesource.js
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ function configureFromXML( tileSource, xmlDoc ){
             configuration = {
                 Image: {
                     xmlns:       "http://schemas.microsoft.com/deepzoom/2008",
+                    Url:         root.getAttribute( "Url" ),
                     Format:      root.getAttribute( "Format" ),
                     DisplayRect: null,
                     Overlap:     parseInt( root.getAttribute( "Overlap" ), 10 ), 
@@ -315,8 +316,6 @@ function configureFromObject( tileSource, configuration ){
         ));
     }
 
-    delete configuration.Image;
-
     return $.extend(true, {
         width: width, /* width *required */
         height: height, /* height *required */
diff --git a/src/tilesource.js b/src/tilesource.js
index e8e44173..650a9477 100644
--- a/src/tilesource.js
+++ b/src/tilesource.js
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ function processResponse( xhr ){
  * @eprivate
  * @inner
  * @function
- * @param {Object|Array} data - the tile source configuration object
+ * @param {Object|Array|Document} data - the tile source configuration object
  * @param {String} url - the url where the tile source configuration object was
  *      loaded from, if any.
  */
diff --git a/src/viewer.js b/src/viewer.js
index a48a5af4..a87c52e9 100644
--- a/src/viewer.js
+++ b/src/viewer.js
@@ -309,18 +309,24 @@ $.extend( $.Viewer.prototype, $.EventHandler.prototype, $.ControlDock.prototype,
             $TileSource,
             options;
 
+        //allow plain xml strings or json strings to be parsed here
+        if( $.type( tileSource ) == 'string' ){
+            if( tileSource.match(/\s*<.*/) ){
+                tileSource = $.parseXml( tileSource );
+            }else if( tileSource.match(/\s*[\{\[].*/) ){
+                /*jshint evil:true*/
+                tileSource = eval( '('+tileSource+')' );
+            }
+        }
+
         setTimeout(function(){
             if ( $.type( tileSource ) == 'string') {
-                //TODO: We cant assume a string implies a dzi since all 
-                //complete TileSource implementations should have a getInfo
-                //which allows them to be configured via AJAX.  Im not sure
-                //if its better to use file extension or url pattern, or to 
-                //inspect the resulting info object.
+                //If its still a string it means it must be a url at this point
                 tileSource = new $.TileSource( tileSource, function( readySource ){
                     openTileSource( _this, readySource );
                 });
 
-            } else if ( $.isPlainObject( tileSource ) ){
+            } else if ( $.isPlainObject( tileSource ) || tileSource.nodeType ){
                 if( $.isFunction( tileSource.getTileUrl ) ){
                     //Custom tile source
                     customTileSource = new $.TileSource(tileSource);