diff --git a/src/compiler/code_generator.ts b/src/compiler/code_generator.ts
index 8b20c62bd..5277be8ea 100644
--- a/src/compiler/code_generator.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/code_generator.ts
@@ -586,11 +586,6 @@ export class CodeGenerator {
     }
     // attributes
     const attrs: Attrs = {};
-    const nameSpace = ast.ns || ctx.nameSpace;
-    if (nameSpace && isNewBlock) {
-      // specific namespace uri
-      attrs["block-ns"] = nameSpace;
-    }
 
     for (let key in ast.attrs) {
       let expr, attrName;
@@ -719,7 +714,10 @@ export class CodeGenerator {
       attrs["block-ref"] = String(idx);
     }
 
-    const dom = xmlDoc.createElement(ast.tag);
+    const nameSpace = ast.ns || ctx.nameSpace;
+    const dom = nameSpace
+      ? xmlDoc.createElementNS(nameSpace, ast.tag)
+      : xmlDoc.createElement(ast.tag);
     for (const [attr, val] of Object.entries(attrs)) {
       if (!(attr === "class" && val === "")) {
         dom.setAttribute(attr, val);
diff --git a/src/compiler/parser.ts b/src/compiler/parser.ts
index 555835a03..3a4cbb0ed 100644
--- a/src/compiler/parser.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/parser.ts
@@ -213,14 +213,14 @@ export function parse(xml: string | Element): AST {
 
 function _parse(xml: Element): AST {
   normalizeXML(xml);
-  const ctx = { inPreTag: false, inSVG: false };
+  const ctx = { inPreTag: false };
   return parseNode(xml, ctx) || { type: ASTType.Text, value: "" };
 }
 
 interface ParsingContext {
   tModelInfo?: TModelInfo | null;
+  nameSpace?: string;
   inPreTag: boolean;
-  inSVG: boolean;
 }
 
 function parseNode(node: Node, ctx: ParsingContext): AST | null {
@@ -323,9 +323,8 @@ function parseDOMNode(node: Element, ctx: ParsingContext): AST | null {
   if (tagName === "pre") {
     ctx.inPreTag = true;
   }
-  const shouldAddSVGNS = ROOT_SVG_TAGS.has(tagName) && !ctx.inSVG;
-  ctx.inSVG = ctx.inSVG || shouldAddSVGNS;
-  const ns = shouldAddSVGNS ? "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" : null;
+
+  let ns = !ctx.nameSpace && ROOT_SVG_TAGS.has(tagName) ? "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" : null;
   const ref = node.getAttribute("t-ref");
   node.removeAttribute("t-ref");
 
@@ -389,6 +388,8 @@ function parseDOMNode(node: Element, ctx: ParsingContext): AST | null {
       }
     } else if (attr.startsWith("block-")) {
       throw new OwlError(`Invalid attribute: '${attr}'`);
+    } else if (attr === "xmlns") {
+      ns = value;
     } else if (attr !== "t-name") {
       if (attr.startsWith("t-") && !attr.startsWith("t-att")) {
         throw new OwlError(`Unknown QWeb directive: '${attr}'`);
@@ -401,6 +402,9 @@ function parseDOMNode(node: Element, ctx: ParsingContext): AST | null {
       attrs[attr] = value;
     }
   }
+  if (ns) {
+    ctx.nameSpace = ns;
+  }
 
   const children = parseChildren(node, ctx);
   return {
diff --git a/src/runtime/blockdom/block_compiler.ts b/src/runtime/blockdom/block_compiler.ts
index cbc91e7da..13435cbbb 100644
--- a/src/runtime/blockdom/block_compiler.ts
+++ b/src/runtime/blockdom/block_compiler.ts
@@ -144,12 +144,7 @@ function buildTree(
         info.push({ type: "child", idx: index });
         el = document.createTextNode("");
       }
-      const attrs = (node as Element).attributes;
-      const ns = attrs.getNamedItem("block-ns");
-      if (ns) {
-        attrs.removeNamedItem("block-ns");
-        currentNS = ns.value;
-      }
+      currentNS ||= (node as Element).namespaceURI;
       if (!el) {
         el = currentNS
           ? document.createElementNS(currentNS, tagName)
@@ -165,6 +160,7 @@ function buildTree(
           const fragment = document.createElement("template").content;
           fragment.appendChild(el);
         }
+        const attrs = (node as Element).attributes;
         for (let i = 0; i < attrs.length; i++) {
           const attrName = attrs[i].name;
           const attrValue = attrs[i].value;
diff --git a/tests/blockdom/block.test.ts b/tests/blockdom/block.test.ts
index 0576efa53..7a3551677 100644
--- a/tests/blockdom/block.test.ts
+++ b/tests/blockdom/block.test.ts
@@ -244,12 +244,14 @@ describe("misc", () => {
   });
 
   test("namespace is not propagated to siblings", () => {
-    const block = createBlock(`<div><svg block-ns="someNameSpace"><g/></svg><div></div></div>`);
+    const block = createBlock(`<div><svg xmlns="someNameSpace"><g/></svg><div></div></div>`);
 
     const fixture = makeTestFixture();
     mount(block(), fixture);
 
-    expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe("<div><svg><g></g></svg><div></div></div>");
+    expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe(
+      '<div><svg xmlns="someNameSpace"><g></g></svg><div></div></div>'
+    );
     expect(fixture.querySelector("svg")!.namespaceURI).toBe("someNameSpace");
     expect(fixture.querySelector("g")!.namespaceURI).toBe("someNameSpace");
     const allDivs = fixture.querySelectorAll("div");
diff --git a/tests/blockdom/namespace.test.ts b/tests/blockdom/namespace.test.ts
index e49d83c6f..0d622ca42 100644
--- a/tests/blockdom/namespace.test.ts
+++ b/tests/blockdom/namespace.test.ts
@@ -30,22 +30,22 @@ describe("namespace", () => {
     expect(fixture.firstElementChild!.namespaceURI).toBe(XHTML_URI);
   });
 
-  test("namespace can be changed with block-ns", () => {
-    const block = createBlock(`<tag block-ns="${SVG_URI}"/>`);
+  test("namespace can be changed with xmlns", () => {
+    const block = createBlock(`<tag xmlns="${SVG_URI}"/>`);
     const tree = block();
     mount(tree, fixture);
-    expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe("<tag></tag>");
+    expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe(`<tag xmlns="${SVG_URI}"></tag>`);
     expect(fixture.firstElementChild!.namespaceURI).toBe(SVG_URI);
   });
 
   test("namespace is kept for children", () => {
     const block = createBlock(
-      `<parent block-ns="${SVG_URI}"><child><subchild/></child><child/></parent>`
+      `<parent xmlns="${SVG_URI}"><child><subchild/></child><child/></parent>`
     );
     const tree = block();
     mount(tree, fixture);
     expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe(
-      "<parent><child><subchild></subchild></child><child></child></parent>"
+      `<parent xmlns="${SVG_URI}"><child><subchild></subchild></child><child></child></parent>`
     );
     const parent = fixture.firstElementChild!;
     const child1 = parent.firstElementChild!;
@@ -58,10 +58,10 @@ describe("namespace", () => {
   });
 
   test("various namespaces in same block", () => {
-    const block = createBlock(`<none><one block-ns="one"/><two block-ns="two"/></none>`);
+    const block = createBlock(`<none><one xmlns="one"/><two xmlns="two"/></none>`);
     const tree = block();
     mount(tree, fixture);
-    expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe("<none><one></one><two></two></none>");
+    expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe('<none><one xmlns="one"></one><two xmlns="two"></two></none>');
     const none = fixture.firstElementChild!;
     const one = none.firstElementChild!;
     const two = one.nextElementSibling!;
diff --git a/tests/compiler/__snapshots__/svg.test.ts.snap b/tests/compiler/__snapshots__/svg.test.ts.snap
index f8c710636..b4cef8bde 100644
--- a/tests/compiler/__snapshots__/svg.test.ts.snap
+++ b/tests/compiler/__snapshots__/svg.test.ts.snap
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ exports[`properly support svg add proper namespace to g tags 1`] = `
 ) {
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<g block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><circle cx=\\"50\\" cy=\\"50\\" r=\\"4\\" stroke=\\"green\\" stroke-width=\\"1\\" fill=\\"yellow\\"/> </g>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<g xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><circle cx=\\"50\\" cy=\\"50\\" r=\\"4\\" stroke=\\"green\\" stroke-width=\\"1\\" fill=\\"yellow\\"/> </g>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     return block1();
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ exports[`properly support svg add proper namespace to svg 1`] = `
 ) {
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\" width=\\"100px\\" height=\\"90px\\"><circle cx=\\"50\\" cy=\\"50\\" r=\\"4\\" stroke=\\"green\\" stroke-width=\\"1\\" fill=\\"yellow\\"/> </svg>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\" width=\\"100px\\" height=\\"90px\\"><circle cx=\\"50\\" cy=\\"50\\" r=\\"4\\" stroke=\\"green\\" stroke-width=\\"1\\" fill=\\"yellow\\"/> </svg>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     return block1();
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ exports[`properly support svg namespace to g tags not added if already in svg na
 ) {
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><g/></svg>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><g/></svg>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     return block1();
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ exports[`properly support svg namespace to svg tags added even if already in svg
 ) {
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><svg/></svg>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><svg/></svg>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     return block1();
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ exports[`properly support svg svg creates new block if it is within html -- 2 1`
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
   let block1 = createBlock(\`<div><block-child-0/></div>\`);
-  let block2 = createBlock(\`<svg block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><polygon fill=\\"#000000\\" points=\\"0 0 4 4 8 0\\" transform=\\"translate(5 7)\\"/><block-child-0/></svg>\`);
-  let block3 = createBlock(\`<path block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"/>\`);
+  let block2 = createBlock(\`<svg xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><polygon fill=\\"#000000\\" points=\\"0 0 4 4 8 0\\" transform=\\"translate(5 7)\\"/><block-child-0 xmlns=\\"\\"/></svg>\`);
+  let block3 = createBlock(\`<path xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"/>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     let b3;
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ exports[`properly support svg svg creates new block if it is within html 1`] = `
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
   let block1 = createBlock(\`<div><block-child-0/></div>\`);
-  let block2 = createBlock(\`<svg block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><polygon fill=\\"#000000\\" points=\\"0 0 4 4 8 0\\" transform=\\"translate(5 7)\\"/></svg>\`);
+  let block2 = createBlock(\`<svg xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><polygon fill=\\"#000000\\" points=\\"0 0 4 4 8 0\\" transform=\\"translate(5 7)\\"/></svg>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     const b2 = block2();
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ exports[`properly support svg svg namespace added to sub templates if root tag i
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   const callTemplate_1 = app.getTemplate(\`path\`);
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><block-child-0/></svg>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><block-child-0 xmlns=\\"\\"/></svg>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     const b2 = callTemplate_1.call(this, ctx, node, key + \`__1\`);
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ exports[`properly support svg svg namespace added to sub templates if root tag i
 ) {
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<path block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"/>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<path xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"/>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     return block1();
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ exports[`properly support svg svg namespace added to sub-blocks 1`] = `
 ) {
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><block-child-0/></svg>\`);
-  let block2 = createBlock(\`<path block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"/>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><block-child-0 xmlns=\\"\\"/></svg>\`);
+  let block2 = createBlock(\`<path xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"/>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     let b2;
diff --git a/tests/compiler/svg.test.ts b/tests/compiler/svg.test.ts
index 9c5cdad20..5ead0596b 100644
--- a/tests/compiler/svg.test.ts
+++ b/tests/compiler/svg.test.ts
@@ -9,20 +9,20 @@ describe("properly support svg", () => {
   test("add proper namespace to svg", () => {
     const template = `<svg width="100px" height="90px"><circle cx="50" cy="50" r="4" stroke="green" stroke-width="1" fill="yellow"/> </svg>`;
     expect(renderToString(template)).toBe(
-      `<svg width=\"100px\" height=\"90px\"><circle cx=\"50\" cy=\"50\" r=\"4\" stroke=\"green\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"yellow\"></circle> </svg>`
+      `<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="100px" height="90px"><circle cx="50" cy="50" r="4" stroke="green" stroke-width="1" fill="yellow"></circle> </svg>`
     );
   });
 
   test("add proper namespace to g tags", () => {
     const template = `<g><circle cx="50" cy="50" r="4" stroke="green" stroke-width="1" fill="yellow"/> </g>`;
     expect(renderToString(template)).toBe(
-      `<g><circle cx=\"50\" cy=\"50\" r=\"4\" stroke=\"green\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"yellow\"></circle> </g>`
+      `<g xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><circle cx="50" cy="50" r="4" stroke="green" stroke-width="1" fill="yellow"></circle> </g>`
     );
   });
 
   test("namespace to g tags not added if already in svg namespace", () => {
     const template = `<svg><g/></svg>`;
-    expect(renderToString(template)).toBe(`<svg><g></g></svg>`);
+    expect(renderToString(template)).toBe(`<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g></g></svg>`);
   });
 
   test("namespace to svg tags added even if already in svg namespace", () => {
@@ -41,8 +41,13 @@ describe("properly support svg", () => {
   test("svg namespace added to sub-blocks", () => {
     const template = `<svg><path t-if="path"/></svg>`;
 
-    expect(renderToString(template, { path: false })).toBe(`<svg></svg>`);
-    expect(renderToString(template, { path: true })).toBe(`<svg><path></path></svg>`);
+    expect(renderToString(template, { path: false })).toBe(
+      `<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"></svg>`
+    );
+    // Because the path is its own block, it has its own xmlns attribute
+    expect(renderToString(template, { path: true })).toBe(
+      `<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"></path></svg>`
+    );
 
     const bdom = renderToBdom(template, { path: true });
     const fixture = makeTestFixture();
diff --git a/tests/components/__snapshots__/basics.test.ts.snap b/tests/components/__snapshots__/basics.test.ts.snap
index ff241b1b0..95e8b2006 100644
--- a/tests/components/__snapshots__/basics.test.ts.snap
+++ b/tests/components/__snapshots__/basics.test.ts.snap
@@ -1248,7 +1248,7 @@ exports[`support svg components add proper namespace to svg 1`] = `
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   const comp1 = app.createComponent(\`GComp\`, true, false, false, []);
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><block-child-0/></svg>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<svg xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><block-child-0 xmlns=\\"\\"/></svg>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     const b2 = comp1({}, key + \`__1\`, node, this, null);
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ exports[`support svg components add proper namespace to svg 2`] = `
 ) {
   let { text, createBlock, list, multi, html, toggler, comment } = bdom;
   
-  let block1 = createBlock(\`<g block-ns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><circle cx=\\"50\\" cy=\\"50\\" r=\\"4\\" stroke=\\"green\\" stroke-width=\\"1\\" fill=\\"yellow\\"/></g>\`);
+  let block1 = createBlock(\`<g xmlns=\\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\\"><circle cx=\\"50\\" cy=\\"50\\" r=\\"4\\" stroke=\\"green\\" stroke-width=\\"1\\" fill=\\"yellow\\"/></g>\`);
   
   return function template(ctx, node, key = \\"\\") {
     return block1();
diff --git a/tests/components/basics.test.ts b/tests/components/basics.test.ts
index 3dfe537c1..6ddd5d65c 100644
--- a/tests/components/basics.test.ts
+++ b/tests/components/basics.test.ts
@@ -1024,7 +1024,7 @@ describe("support svg components", () => {
     await mount(Svg, fixture);
 
     expect(fixture.innerHTML).toBe(
-      '<svg><g><circle cx="50" cy="50" r="4" stroke="green" stroke-width="1" fill="yellow"></circle></g></svg>'
+      '<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><circle cx="50" cy="50" r="4" stroke="green" stroke-width="1" fill="yellow"></circle></g></svg>'
     );
   });
 });