diff --git a/feedgen/entry.py b/feedgen/entry.py
index 884d103..499c387 100644
--- a/feedgen/entry.py
+++ b/feedgen/entry.py
@@ -57,13 +57,9 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		self.__extensions = {}
 
 
-	def atom_entry(self, feed, extensions=True):
-		'''Insert an ATOM entry into a existing XML structure. Normally you
-		would pass the feed node of an ATOM feed XML to this function.
-
-		:param feed: The XML element to use as parent node for the element.
-		'''
-		entry = etree.SubElement(feed, 'entry')
+	def atom_entry(self, extensions=True):
+		'''Create an ATOM entry and return it.'''
+		entry = etree.Element('entry')
 		if not ( self.__atom_id and self.__atom_title and self.__atom_updated ):
 			raise ValueError('Required fields not set')
 		id      = etree.SubElement(entry, 'id')
@@ -175,13 +171,9 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		return entry
 
 
-	def rss_entry(self, feed, extensions=True):
-		'''Insert an RSS item into a existing XML structure. Normally you
-		would pass the channel node of an RSS feed XML to this function.
-
-		:param feed: The XML element to use as parent node for the item.
-		'''
-		entry = etree.SubElement(feed, 'item')
+	def rss_entry(self, extensions=True):
+		'''Create a RSS item and return it.'''
+		entry = etree.Element('item')
 		if not ( self.__rss_title or self.__rss_description or self.__rss_content):
 			raise ValueError('Required fields not set')
 		if self.__rss_title:
@@ -235,7 +227,7 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		return entry
 
 
-	
+
 	def title(self, title=None):
 		'''Get or set the title value of the entry. It should contain a human
 		readable title for the entry. Title is mandatory for both ATOM and RSS
@@ -313,7 +305,7 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		- *name* conveys a human-readable name for the person.
 		- *uri* contains a home page for the person.
 		- *email* contains an email address for the person.
-		
+
 		:param author:  Dict or list of dicts with author data.
 		:param replace: Add or replace old data.
 
@@ -335,7 +327,7 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		if not author is None:
 			if replace or self.__atom_author is None:
 				self.__atom_author = []
-			self.__atom_author += ensure_format( author, 
+			self.__atom_author += ensure_format( author,
 					set(['name', 'email', 'uri']), set(['name']))
 			self.__rss_author = []
 			for a in self.__atom_author:
@@ -402,7 +394,7 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		RSS also supports one enclusure element per entry which is covered by the
 		link element in ATOM feed entries. So for the RSS enclusure element the
 		last link with rel=enclosure is used.
-		
+
 		:param link:    Dict or list of dicts with data.
 		:param replace: Add or replace old data.
 		:returns: List of link data.
@@ -412,9 +404,9 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		if not link is None:
 			if replace or self.__atom_link is None:
 				self.__atom_link = []
-			self.__atom_link += ensure_format( link, 
+			self.__atom_link += ensure_format( link,
 					set(['href', 'rel', 'type', 'hreflang', 'title', 'length']),
-					set(['href']), 
+					set(['href']),
 					{'rel':['alternate', 'enclosure', 'related', 'self', 'via']},
 					{'rel': 'alternate'} )
 			# RSS only needs one URL. We use the first link for RSS:
@@ -495,8 +487,8 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		if not category is None:
 			if replace or self.__atom_category is None:
 				self.__atom_category = []
-			self.__atom_category += ensure_format( 
-					category, 
+			self.__atom_category += ensure_format(
+					category,
 					set(['term', 'scheme', 'label']),
 					set(['term']) )
 			# Map the ATOM categories to RSS categories. Use the atom:label as
@@ -525,7 +517,7 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		- *name* conveys a human-readable name for the person.
 		- *uri* contains a home page for the person.
 		- *email* contains an email address for the person.
-		
+
 		:param contributor: Dictionary or list of dictionaries with contributor data.
 		:param replace: Add or replace old data.
 		:returns: List of contributors as dictionaries.
@@ -535,7 +527,7 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 		if not contributor is None:
 			if replace or self.__atom_contributor is None:
 				self.__atom_contributor = []
-			self.__atom_contributor += ensure_format( contributor, 
+			self.__atom_contributor += ensure_format( contributor,
 					set(['name', 'email', 'uri']), set(['name']))
 		return self.__atom_contributor
 
@@ -563,7 +555,7 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 
 		return self.__atom_published
 
-	
+
 	def pubdate(self, pubDate=None):
 		'''Get or set the pubDate of the entry which indicates when the entry was
 		published. This method is just another name for the published(...)
@@ -627,7 +619,7 @@ class FeedEntry(object):
 			self.__rss_ttl = int(ttl)
 		return self.__rss_ttl
 
-	
+
 	def load_extension(self, name, atom=True, rss=True):
 		'''Load a specific extension by name.
 
diff --git a/feedgen/ext/base.py b/feedgen/ext/base.py
index 5042264..da7f571 100644
--- a/feedgen/ext/base.py
+++ b/feedgen/ext/base.py
@@ -15,9 +15,12 @@
 class BaseExtension(object):
 	'''Basic FeedGenerator extension.
 	'''
+	def extend_ns(self):
+		'''Returns a dict that will be used in the namespace map for the feed.'''
+		return dict()
 
 	def extend_rss(self, feed):
-		'''Create an RSS feed xml structure containing all previously set fields.
+		'''Extend a RSS feed xml structure containing all previously set fields.
 
 		:param feed: The feed xml root element.
 		:returns: The feed root element.
@@ -26,7 +29,7 @@ class BaseExtension(object):
 
 
 	def extend_atom(self, feed):
-		'''Create an ATOM feed xml structure containing all previously set
+		'''Extend an ATOM feed xml structure containing all previously set
 		fields.
 
 		:param feed: The feed xml root element.
diff --git a/feedgen/ext/dc.py b/feedgen/ext/dc.py
index cc87fa7..d5c95e9 100644
--- a/feedgen/ext/dc.py
+++ b/feedgen/ext/dc.py
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ class DcBaseExtension(BaseExtension):
 		self._dcelem_title       = None
 		self._dcelem_type        = None
 
+	def extend_ns(self):
+		return {'dc' : 'http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/'}
 
 	def extend_atom(self, atom_feed):
 		'''Create an Atom feed xml structure containing all previously set fields.
@@ -49,14 +51,8 @@ class DcBaseExtension(BaseExtension):
 		:returns: The feed root element
 		'''
 		DCELEMENTS_NS = 'http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/'
-		# Replace the root element to add the new namespace
-		nsmap = atom_feed.nsmap
-		nsmap['dc'] = DCELEMENTS_NS
-		feed = etree.Element('feed', nsmap=nsmap)
-		if '{http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace}lang' in atom_feed.attrib:
-			feed.attrib['{http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace}lang'] = \
-					atom_feed.attrib['{http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace}lang']
-		feed[:] = atom_feed[:]
+		
+		feed = atom_feed
 
 		for elem in ['contributor', 'coverage', 'creator', 'date', 'description',
 				'language', 'publisher', 'relation', 'rights', 'source', 'subject',
@@ -83,12 +79,7 @@ class DcBaseExtension(BaseExtension):
 		:returns: Tuple containing the feed root element and the element tree.
 		'''
 		DCELEMENTS_NS = 'http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/'
-		# Replace the root element to add the new namespace
-		nsmap = rss_feed.nsmap
-		nsmap['dc'] = DCELEMENTS_NS
-		feed = etree.Element('rss', version='2.0', nsmap=nsmap )
-		feed[:] = rss_feed[:]
-		channel = feed[0]
+		channel = rss_feed[0]
 
 		for elem in ['contributor', 'coverage', 'creator', 'date', 'description',
 				'language', 'publisher', 'relation', 'rights', 'source', 'subject',
@@ -106,7 +97,7 @@ class DcBaseExtension(BaseExtension):
 			node = etree.SubElement(channel, '{%s}identifier' % DCELEMENTS_NS)
 			node.text = identifier
 
-		return feed
+		return rss_feed
 
 
 	def dc_contributor(self, contributor=None, replace=False):
diff --git a/feedgen/ext/podcast.py b/feedgen/ext/podcast.py
index 558ae4e..26494fe 100644
--- a/feedgen/ext/podcast.py
+++ b/feedgen/ext/podcast.py
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ class PodcastExtension(BaseExtension):
 		self.__itunes_summary      = None
 
 
+	def extend_ns(self):
+		return {'itunes' : 'http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd'}
 
 
 	def extend_rss(self, rss_feed):
@@ -42,11 +44,7 @@ class PodcastExtension(BaseExtension):
 		:returns: Tuple containing the feed root element and the element tree.
 		'''
 		ITUNES_NS = 'http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd'
-		# Replace the root element to add the itunes namespace
-		nsmap = rss_feed.nsmap
-		nsmap['itunes'] = ITUNES_NS
-		feed = etree.Element('rss', version='2.0', nsmap=nsmap )
-		feed[:] = rss_feed[:]
+		feed = rss_feed
 		channel = feed[0]
 
 		if self.__itunes_author:
diff --git a/feedgen/feed.py b/feedgen/feed.py
index 4cc1d8d..b4bebb5 100644
--- a/feedgen/feed.py
+++ b/feedgen/feed.py
@@ -88,7 +88,13 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 
 		:returns: Tuple containing the feed root element and the element tree.
 		'''
-		feed    = etree.Element('feed',  xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom')
+		nsmap = dict()
+		if extensions:
+			for ext in self.__extensions.values() or []:
+				if ext.get('atom'):
+					 nsmap.update( ext['inst'].extend_ns() )
+
+		feed = etree.Element('feed', xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom', nsmap=nsmap)
 		if self.__atom_feed_xml_lang:
 			feed.attrib['{http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace}lang'] = \
 					self.__atom_feed_xml_lang
@@ -182,10 +188,11 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		if extensions:
 			for ext in self.__extensions.values() or []:
 				if ext.get('atom'):
-					feed = ext['inst'].extend_atom(feed)
+					ext['inst'].extend_atom(feed)
 
 		for entry in self.__feed_entries:
-			entry.atom_entry(feed)
+			entry = entry.atom_entry()
+			feed.append(entry)
 
 		doc = etree.ElementTree(feed)
 		return feed, doc
@@ -193,7 +200,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 
 	def atom_str(self, pretty=False, extensions=True):
 		'''Generates an ATOM feed and returns the feed XML as string.
-		
+
 		:param pretty: If the feed should be split into multiple lines and
 			properly indented.
 		:param extensions: Enable or disable the loaded extensions for the xml
@@ -206,7 +213,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 
 	def atom_file(self, filename, extensions=True, pretty=False):
 		'''Generates an ATOM feed and write the resulting XML to a file.
-		
+
 		:param filename: Name of file to write, or a file-like object, or a URL.
 		:param extensions: Enable or disable the loaded extensions for the xml
 			generation (default: enabled).
@@ -220,9 +227,16 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 
 		:returns: Tuple containing the feed root element and the element tree.
 		'''
-		feed = etree.Element('rss', version='2.0',
-				nsmap={'atom':  'http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom',
-					'content': 'http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/'} )
+		nsmap = dict()
+		if extensions:
+			for ext in self.__extensions.values() or []:
+				if ext.get('rss'):
+					 nsmap.update( ext['inst'].extend_ns() )
+
+		nsmap.update({'atom':  'http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom',
+			'content': 'http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/'})
+
+		feed = etree.Element('rss', version='2.0', nsmap=nsmap )
 		channel = etree.SubElement(feed, 'channel')
 		if not ( self.__rss_title and self.__rss_link and self.__rss_description ):
 			missing = ', '.join(([] if self.__rss_title else ['title']) + \
@@ -238,8 +252,8 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		for ln in  self.__atom_link or []:
 			# It is recommended to include a atom self link in rss documents…
 			if ln.get('rel') == 'self':
-				selflink = etree.SubElement(channel, 
-						'{http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom}link', 
+				selflink = etree.SubElement(channel,
+						'{http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom}link',
 						href=ln['href'], rel='self')
 				if ln.get('type'):
 					selflink.attrib['type'] = ln['type']
@@ -335,10 +349,11 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		if extensions:
 			for ext in self.__extensions.values() or []:
 				if ext.get('rss'):
-					feed = ext['inst'].extend_rss(feed)
+					ext['inst'].extend_rss(feed)
 
 		for entry in self.__feed_entries:
-			entry.rss_entry(channel)
+			item = entry.rss_entry()
+			channel.append(item)
 
 		doc = etree.ElementTree(feed)
 		return feed, doc
@@ -346,7 +361,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 
 	def rss_str(self, pretty=False, extensions=True):
 		'''Generates an RSS feed and returns the feed XML as string.
-		
+
 		:param pretty: If the feed should be split into multiple lines and
 			properly indented.
 		:param extensions: Enable or disable the loaded extensions for the xml
@@ -359,7 +374,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 
 	def rss_file(self, filename, extensions=True, pretty=False):
 		'''Generates an RSS feed and write the resulting XML to a file.
-		
+
 		:param filename: Name of file to write, or a file-like object, or a URL.
 		:param extensions: Enable or disable the loaded extensions for the xml
 			generation (default: enabled).
@@ -367,7 +382,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		feed, doc = self._create_rss(extensions=extensions)
 		doc.write(filename, pretty_print=pretty)
 
-	
+
 	def title(self, title=None):
 		'''Get or set the title value of the feed. It should contain a human
 		readable title for the feed. Often the same as the title of the
@@ -392,7 +407,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		:param id: New Id of the ATOM feed.
 		:returns: Id of the feed.
 		'''
-		
+
 		if not id is None:
 			self.__atom_id = id
 		return self.__atom_id
@@ -462,7 +477,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		- *name* conveys a human-readable name for the person.
 		- *uri* contains a home page for the person.
 		- *email* contains an email address for the person.
-		
+
 		:param author:  Dictionary or list of dictionaries with author data.
 		:param replace: Add or replace old data.
 		:returns: List of authors as dictionaries.
@@ -485,7 +500,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		if not author is None:
 			if replace or self.__atom_author is None:
 				self.__atom_author = []
-			self.__atom_author += ensure_format( author, 
+			self.__atom_author += ensure_format( author,
 					set(['name', 'email', 'uri']), set(['name']))
 			self.__rss_author = []
 			for a in self.__atom_author:
@@ -526,7 +541,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		- *length* the length of the resource, in bytes.
 
 		RSS only supports one link with URL only.
-		
+
 		:param link:    Dict or list of dicts with data.
 		:param replace: Add or replace old data.
 
@@ -541,9 +556,9 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		if not link is None:
 			if replace or self.__atom_link is None:
 				self.__atom_link = []
-			self.__atom_link += ensure_format( link, 
+			self.__atom_link += ensure_format( link,
 					set(['href', 'rel', 'type', 'hreflang', 'title', 'length']),
-					set(['href']), 
+					set(['href']),
 					{'rel':['alternate', 'enclosure', 'related', 'self', 'via']} )
 			# RSS only needs one URL. We use the first link for RSS:
 			if len(self.__atom_link) > 0:
@@ -579,8 +594,8 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		if not category is None:
 			if replace or self.__atom_category is None:
 				self.__atom_category = []
-			self.__atom_category += ensure_format( 
-					category, 
+			self.__atom_category += ensure_format(
+					category,
 					set(['term', 'scheme', 'label']),
 					set(['term']) )
 			# Map the ATOM categories to RSS categories. Use the atom:label as
@@ -628,7 +643,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		- *name* conveys a human-readable name for the person.
 		- *uri* contains a home page for the person.
 		- *email* contains an email address for the person.
-		
+
 		:param contributor: Dictionary or list of dictionaries with contributor data.
 		:param replace: Add or replace old data.
 		:returns: List of contributors as dictionaries.
@@ -638,7 +653,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		if not contributor is None:
 			if replace or self.__atom_contributor is None:
 				self.__atom_contributor = []
-			self.__atom_contributor += ensure_format( contributor, 
+			self.__atom_contributor += ensure_format( contributor,
 					set(['name', 'email', 'uri']), set(['name']))
 		return self.__atom_contributor
 
@@ -856,7 +871,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 
 		This method can be called with an hour or a list of hours. The hours are
 		represented as integer values from 0 to 23.
-		
+
 		:param hours:   List of hours the feedreaders should not check the feed.
 		:param replace: Add or replace old data.
 		:returns:       List of hours the feedreaders should not check the feed.
@@ -879,7 +894,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 
 		This method can be called with a day name or a list of day names. The days are
 		represented as strings from 'Monday' to 'Sunday'.
-		
+
 		:param hours:   List of days the feedreaders should not check the feed.
 		:param replace: Add or replace old data.
 		:returns:       List of days the feedreaders should not check the feed.
@@ -953,7 +968,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		:returns: FeedEntry object created or passed to this function.
 
 		Example::
-			
+
 			...
 			>>> entry = feedgen.add_entry()
 			>>> entry.title('First feed entry')
@@ -984,7 +999,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 	def entry(self, entry=None, replace=False):
 		'''Get or set feed entries. Use the add_entry() method instead to
 		automatically create the FeedEntry objects.
-		
+
 		This method takes both a single FeedEntry object or a list of objects.
 
 		:param entry: FeedEntry object or list of FeedEntry objects.
@@ -1025,7 +1040,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 			self.__feed_entries.remove(entry)
 		else:
 			self.__feed_entries.pop(entry)
-	
+
 
 	def remove_item(self, item):
 		'''Remove a single item from the feed. This is another name for
@@ -1033,7 +1048,7 @@ class FeedGenerator(object):
 		'''
 		self.remove_entry(item)
 
-	
+
 	def load_extension(self, name, atom=True, rss=True):
 		'''Load a specific extension by name.