diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index e0b61fa5dfc..a24447c3349 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ Mark Abramowitz
 Martijn Faassen
 Nicolas Delaby
 Piotr Banaszkiewicz
+Punyashloka Biswal
 Ralf Schmitt
 Ronny Pfannschmidt
 Ross Lawley
diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 0cefc9181c7..b0281d29172 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 2.8.0.dev (compared to 2.7.X)
 -----------------------------
 
+- fix issue713: JUnit XML reports for doctest failures.
+  Thanks Punyashloka Biswal.
+
 - Include setup and teardown in junitxml test durations.
   Thanks Janne Vanhala.
 
diff --git a/_pytest/junitxml.py b/_pytest/junitxml.py
index 3553a19ec02..bcdf8578146 100644
--- a/_pytest/junitxml.py
+++ b/_pytest/junitxml.py
@@ -123,10 +123,12 @@ def append_failure(self, report):
                 Junit.skipped(message="xfail-marked test passes unexpectedly"))
             self.skipped += 1
         else:
-            if isinstance(report.longrepr, (unicode, str)):
+            if hasattr(report.longrepr, "reprcrash"):
+                message = report.longrepr.reprcrash.message
+            elif isinstance(report.longrepr, (unicode, str)):
                 message = report.longrepr
             else:
-                message = report.longrepr.reprcrash.message
+                message = str(report.longrepr)
             message = bin_xml_escape(message)
             fail = Junit.failure(message=message)
             fail.append(bin_xml_escape(report.longrepr))
diff --git a/testing/test_doctest.py b/testing/test_doctest.py
index 3b0bb6868f7..f740b848470 100644
--- a/testing/test_doctest.py
+++ b/testing/test_doctest.py
@@ -352,3 +352,16 @@ def add_one(x):
         reprec = testdir.inline_run(p, "--doctest-modules",
                                     "--doctest-ignore-import-errors")
         reprec.assertoutcome(skipped=1, failed=1, passed=0)
+
+    def test_junit_report_for_doctest(self, testdir):
+        p = testdir.makepyfile("""
+            def foo():
+                '''
+                >>> 1 + 1
+                3
+                '''
+                pass
+        """)
+        reprec = testdir.inline_run(p, "--doctest-modules",
+                                    "--junit-xml=junit.xml")
+        reprec.assertoutcome(failed=1)