diff --git a/node.go b/node.go
index 85e4542..18fb9ee 100644
--- a/node.go
+++ b/node.go
@@ -500,7 +500,8 @@ func (this *Node) printElement(indent int) []byte {
 
 	for _, v := range this.Attributes {
 		if len(v.Name.Space) > 0 {
-			b.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(` %s:%s="%s"`, v.Name.Space, v.Name.Local, v.Value))
+			prefix := this.spacePrefix(v.Name.Space)
+			b.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(` %s:%s="%s"`, prefix, v.Name.Local, v.Value))
 		} else {
 			b.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(` %s="%s"`, v.Name.Local, v.Value))
 		}
@@ -541,6 +542,20 @@ func (this *Node) printElement(indent int) []byte {
 	return b.Bytes()
 }
 
+// spacePrefix resolves the given space (e.g. a url) to the prefix it was
+// assigned by an attribute by the current node, or one of its parents.
+func (this *Node) spacePrefix(space string) string {
+	for _, attr := range this.Attributes {
+		if attr.Name.Space == "xmlns" && attr.Value == space {
+			return attr.Name.Local
+		}
+	}
+	if this.Parent == nil {
+		return space
+	}
+	return this.Parent.spacePrefix(space)
+}
+
 // Add a child node
 func (this *Node) AddChild(t *Node) {
 	if t.Parent != nil {
diff --git a/test3.xml b/test3.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77f50f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test3.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<root xmlns:foo='http:/example.org/foo'>
+  <child foo:bar='1'>
+    <grandchild xmlns:foo=''>
+      <great-grandchild foo:bar='2'>
+      </great-grandchild>
+    </grandchild>
+  </child>
+</root>
diff --git a/xmlx_test.go b/xmlx_test.go
index 97fe4de..44a2ac8 100644
--- a/xmlx_test.go
+++ b/xmlx_test.go
@@ -136,3 +136,26 @@ func TestUnmarshal(t *testing.T) {
 		return
 	}
 }
+
+func TestString(t *testing.T) {
+	doc := New()
+	err := doc.LoadFile("test3.xml", nil)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("LoadFile(): %s", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	expected := `<root xmlns:foo="http:/example.org/foo">
+	<child foo:bar="1">
+		<grandchild xmlns:foo="">
+			<great-grandchild bar="2" />
+		</grandchild>
+	</child>
+</root>
+`
+
+	if got := doc.Root.String(); got != expected {
+		t.Fatalf("expected: %s\ngot: %s\n", expected, got)
+	}
+}