diff --git a/src/test/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/dataformat/xml/deser/TestEnums.java b/src/test/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/dataformat/xml/deser/TestEnums.java
index 88f740643..0c148fe48 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/dataformat/xml/deser/TestEnums.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/dataformat/xml/deser/TestEnums.java
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
 package com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat.xml.deser;
 
-import com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat.xml.XmlMapper;
-import com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat.xml.XmlTestBase;
+import com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat.xml.*;
 
 public class TestEnums extends XmlTestBase
 {
-    /*
-    /**********************************************************
-    /* Helper types
-    /**********************************************************
-     */
-
     static enum TestEnum { A, B, C; }
 
     static class EnumBean
@@ -27,11 +20,12 @@ public EnumBean() { }
     /**********************************************************
      */
 
+    private final XmlMapper MAPPER = new XmlMapper();
+    
     public void testEnum() throws Exception
     {
-        XmlMapper mapper = new XmlMapper();
-        String str = mapper.writeValueAsString(new EnumBean(TestEnum.B));
-        EnumBean result = mapper.readValue(str, EnumBean.class);
+        String xml = MAPPER.writeValueAsString(new EnumBean(TestEnum.B));
+        EnumBean result = MAPPER.readValue(xml, EnumBean.class);
         assertNotNull(result);
         assertEquals(TestEnum.B, result.value);
     }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/dataformat/xml/failing/TestEnums.java b/src/test/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/dataformat/xml/failing/TestEnums.java
index 76fcbfb04..7c572091d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/dataformat/xml/failing/TestEnums.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/fasterxml/jackson/dataformat/xml/failing/TestEnums.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonTypeInfo;
 
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.ObjectMapper;
+
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat.xml.XmlMapper;
 import com.fasterxml.jackson.dataformat.xml.XmlTestBase;
 
@@ -27,6 +28,8 @@ public UntypedEnumBean() { }
     /**********************************************************
      */
 
+    private final XmlMapper MAPPER = new XmlMapper();
+    
     public void testUntypedEnum() throws Exception
     {
         ObjectMapper mapper = new XmlMapper();
@@ -43,4 +46,13 @@ public void testUntypedEnum() throws Exception
 
         assertEquals(TestEnum.B, result.value);
     }
+
+    // [dataformat-xml#121]
+    public void testRootEnumIssue121() throws Exception
+    {
+        String xml = MAPPER.writeValueAsString(TestEnum.B);
+        TestEnum result = MAPPER.readValue(xml, TestEnum.class);
+        assertNotNull(result);
+        assertEquals(TestEnum.B, result);
+    }
 }