diff --git a/src/body.rs b/src/body.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0bf2f498
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/body.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+use minidom::Element;
+
+use error::Error;
+use super::MessagePayload;
+
+// TODO: also support components and servers.
+use ns::JABBER_CLIENT_NS;
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Body {
+    body: String,
+}
+
+impl MessagePayload for Body {}
+
+pub fn parse_body(root: &Element) -> Result<Body, Error> {
+    if !root.is("body", JABBER_CLIENT_NS) {
+        return Err(Error::ParseError("Not a body element."));
+    }
+    for _ in root.children() {
+        return Err(Error::ParseError("Unknown child in body element."));
+    }
+    Ok(Body { body: root.text() })
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use minidom::Element;
+    use error::Error;
+    use chatstates;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_simple() {
+        let elem: Element = "<active xmlns='http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates'/>".parse().unwrap();
+        chatstates::parse_chatstate(&elem).unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_invalid() {
+        let elem: Element = "<coucou xmlns='http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates'/>".parse().unwrap();
+        let error = chatstates::parse_chatstate(&elem).unwrap_err();
+        let message = match error {
+            Error::ParseError(string) => string,
+            _ => panic!(),
+        };
+        assert_eq!(message, "Unknown chatstate element.");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_invalid_child() {
+        let elem: Element = "<gone xmlns='http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates'><coucou/></gone>".parse().unwrap();
+        let error = chatstates::parse_chatstate(&elem).unwrap_err();
+        let message = match error {
+            Error::ParseError(string) => string,
+            _ => panic!(),
+        };
+        assert_eq!(message, "Unknown child in chatstate element.");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    #[ignore]
+    fn test_invalid_attribute() {
+        let elem: Element = "<inactive xmlns='http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates' coucou=''/>".parse().unwrap();
+        let error = chatstates::parse_chatstate(&elem).unwrap_err();
+        let message = match error {
+            Error::ParseError(string) => string,
+            _ => panic!(),
+        };
+        assert_eq!(message, "Unknown attribute in chatstate element.");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index f7c964b9..e0798c12 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ extern crate minidom;
 pub mod error;
 pub mod ns;
 
+pub mod body;
 pub mod disco;
 pub mod data_forms;
 pub mod media_element;
diff --git a/src/ns.rs b/src/ns.rs
index 24b81133..4f18ccc8 100644
--- a/src/ns.rs
+++ b/src/ns.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+pub const JABBER_CLIENT_NS: &'static str = "jabber:client";
 pub const DISCO_INFO_NS: &'static str = "http://jabber.org/protocol/disco#info";
 pub const DATA_FORMS_NS: &'static str = "jabber:x:data";
 pub const MEDIA_ELEMENT_NS: &'static str = "urn:xmpp:media-element";