diff --git a/patoolib/__init__.py b/patoolib/__init__.py
index 66c6d6d..103752c 100644
--- a/patoolib/__init__.py
+++ b/patoolib/__init__.py
@@ -235,6 +235,8 @@ ArchivePrograms = {
     },
     'xz': {
         None: ('xz',),
+        'extract': py_lzma,
+        'create': py_lzma,
     },
     'zoo': {
         None: ('zoo',),
diff --git a/patoolib/programs/py_lzma.py b/patoolib/programs/py_lzma.py
index c851934..d02a146 100644
--- a/patoolib/programs/py_lzma.py
+++ b/patoolib/programs/py_lzma.py
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@ import lzma
 
 READ_SIZE_BYTES = 1024*1024
 
-def extract_lzma(archive, compression, cmd, **kwargs):
-    """Extract a LZMA archive with the lzma Python module."""
+def _extract(archive, compression, cmd, format, **kwargs):
+    """Extract an LZMA or XZ archive with the lzma Python module."""
     verbose = kwargs['verbose']
     outdir = kwargs['outdir']
     if verbose:
         util.log_info('extracting %s...' % archive)
     targetname = util.get_single_outfile(outdir, archive)
-    lzmafile = lzma.LZMAFile(archive)
+    lzmafile = lzma.LZMAFile(archive, format=format)
     try:
         with open(targetname, 'wb') as targetfile:
             data = lzmafile.read(READ_SIZE_BYTES)
@@ -39,15 +39,23 @@ def extract_lzma(archive, compression, cmd, **kwargs):
         util.log_info('... extracted to %s' % targetname)
     return None
 
+def extract_lzma(archive, compression, cmd, **kwargs):
+    """Extract an LZMA archive with the lzma Python module."""
+    return _extract(archive, compression, cmd, lzma.FORMAT_ALONE, **kwargs)
 
-def create_lzma(archive, compression, cmd, *args, **kwargs):
-    """Create a LZMA archive with the lzma Python module."""
+def extract_xz(archive, compression, cmd, **kwargs):
+    """Extract an XZ archive with the lzma Python module."""
+    return _extract(archive, compression, cmd, lzma.FORMAT_XZ, **kwargs)
+
+
+def _create(archive, compression, cmd, format, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Create an LZMA or XZ archive with the lzma Python module."""
     verbose = kwargs['verbose']
     if verbose:
         util.log_info('creating %s...' % archive)
     if len(args) > 1:
         util.log_error('multi-file compression not supported in Python lzma')
-    lzmafile = lzma.LZMAFile(archive, 'wb')
+    lzmafile = lzma.LZMAFile(archive, 'wb', format)
     try:
         filename = args[0]
         with open(filename) as srcfile:
@@ -60,3 +68,11 @@ def create_lzma(archive, compression, cmd, *args, **kwargs):
     finally:
         lzmafile.close()
     return None
+
+def create_lzma(archive, compression, cmd, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Create an LZMA archive with the lzma Python module."""
+    return _create(archive, compression, cmd, lzma.FORMAT_ALONE, *args, **kwargs)
+
+def create_xz(archive, compression, cmd, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Create an XZ archive with the lzma Python module."""
+    return _create(archive, compression, cmd, lzma.FORMAT_XZ, *args, **kwargs)
diff --git a/tests/archives/__init__.py b/tests/archives/__init__.py
index 721ab6f..ed16de3 100644
--- a/tests/archives/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/archives/__init__.py
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ class ArchiveTest (unittest.TestCase):
             program = 'gzip'
         elif self.program == 'py_bz2':
             program = 'bzip2'
+        elif self.program == 'py_lzma':
+            program = 'xz'
         elif self.program == 'zip':
             program = 'unzip'
         elif self.program in ('rzip', 'shorten'):
diff --git a/tests/archives/test_pylzma.py b/tests/archives/test_pylzma.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5803ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/archives/test_pylzma.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# Copyright (C) 2013 Bastian Kleineidam
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+from . import ArchiveTest, Content
+from .. import needs_program, needs_module
+
+class TestPylzma (ArchiveTest):
+
+    program = 'py_lzma'
+
+    @needs_program('xz')
+    @needs_module('lzma')
+    def test_py_lzma (self):
+        self.archive_extract('t.txt.lzma', check=Content.Singlefile)
+        self.archive_extract('t.txt.xz', check=Content.Singlefile)
+        # xz is used to test the created archive
+        self.archive_create('t.txt.lzma', check=Content.Singlefile)
+        self.archive_create('t.txt.xz', check=Content.Singlefile)
+
+    @needs_program('file')
+    @needs_module('lzma')
+    def test_py_lzma_file (self):
+        self.archive_extract('t.txt.lzma.foo', check=Content.Singlefile)
+        self.archive_extract('t.txt.xz.foo', check=Content.Singlefile)
+