diff --git a/src/attributes.js b/src/attributes.js
index 9c868ee03..0a60b0d74 100644
--- a/src/attributes.js
+++ b/src/attributes.js
@@ -163,8 +163,8 @@ jQuery.fn.extend({
 
 jQuery.each({
 	removeAttr: function( name ) {
-		jQuery.attr( this, name, "" );
-		if (this.nodeType == 1) {
+		if ( this.nodeType === 1 ) {
+			this[ jQuery.isXMLDoc( this ) ? name : jQuery.props[ name ] || name ] = null;
 			this.removeAttribute( name );
 		}
 	},