diff --git a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
index 7a5ba4a1..a0a3a337 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ class ElementBase(tostring.ToString):
 	subitem = None
 
 	def __init__(self, xml=None, parent=None):
-		self.attrib = self # backwards compatibility hack
 		self.parent = parent
 		self.xml = xml
 		self.plugins = {}
@@ -57,6 +56,11 @@ class ElementBase(tostring.ToString):
 				if self.subitem is not None and child.tag == "{%s}%s" % (self.subitem.namespace, self.subitem.name):
 					self.iterables.append(self.subitem(xml=child, parent=self))
 
+    def _getattrib(self):
+        return self
+    
+    attrib = property(_getattrib) # backwards compatibility
+
 	def __iter__(self):
 		self.idx = 0
 		return self