diff --git a/src/encoding/xml/read.go b/src/encoding/xml/read.go
index 565d9a8bea..257591262f 100644
--- a/src/encoding/xml/read.go
+++ b/src/encoding/xml/read.go
@@ -148,6 +148,10 @@ func (d *Decoder) DecodeElement(v any, start *StartElement) error {
 	if val.Kind() != reflect.Pointer {
 		return errors.New("non-pointer passed to Unmarshal")
 	}
+
+	if val.IsNil() {
+		return errors.New("nil pointer passed to Unmarshal")
+	}
 	return d.unmarshal(val.Elem(), start)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/encoding/xml/read_test.go b/src/encoding/xml/read_test.go
index 391fe731a8..6ef55de77b 100644
--- a/src/encoding/xml/read_test.go
+++ b/src/encoding/xml/read_test.go
@@ -1079,3 +1079,18 @@ func TestUnmarshalWhitespaceAttrs(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("whitespace attrs: Unmarshal:\nhave: %#+v\nwant: %#+v", v, want)
 	}
 }
+
+// golang.org/issues/53350
+func TestUnmarshalIntoNil(t *testing.T) {
+	type T struct {
+		A int `xml:"A"`
+	}
+
+	var nilPointer *T
+	err := Unmarshal([]byte("<T><A>1</A></T>"), nilPointer)
+
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("no error in unmarshalling")
+	}
+
+}