diff --git a/xsl/docbook.xsl b/xsl/docbook.xsl
index f92da20..7e89efc 100644
--- a/xsl/docbook.xsl
+++ b/xsl/docbook.xsl
@@ -262,7 +262,9 @@ Error: XSL template 'link-or-anchor' called with invalid link-type '<xsl:value-o
       </refmeta>
       <refnamediv>
         <refname><xsl:value-of select="$refname"/></refname>
-        <refpurpose><xsl:value-of select="$purpose"/></refpurpose>
+        <refpurpose>
+		  <xsl:apply-templates mode="annotation" select="$purpose"/>
+		</refpurpose>
       </refnamediv>
       <refsynopsisdiv>
         <synopsis>
diff --git a/xsl/function.xsl b/xsl/function.xsl
index 67074b3..82ef501 100644
--- a/xsl/function.xsl
+++ b/xsl/function.xsl
@@ -969,7 +969,7 @@
             <xsl:with-param name="node" select="."/>
           </xsl:call-template>
         </xsl:with-param>
-        <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose"/>
+        <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose/*|purpose/text()"/>
         <xsl:with-param name="anchor">
           <xsl:call-template name="generate.id"/>
         </xsl:with-param>
@@ -1050,7 +1050,7 @@
             <xsl:with-param name="node" select="."/>
           </xsl:call-template>
         </xsl:with-param>
-        <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose"/>
+        <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose/*|purpose/text()"/>
         <xsl:with-param name="anchor">
           <xsl:call-template name="generate.id"/>
         </xsl:with-param>
diff --git a/xsl/macro.xsl b/xsl/macro.xsl
index d31a7b3..8c997ea 100644
--- a/xsl/macro.xsl
+++ b/xsl/macro.xsl
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
   <xsl:template match="macro" mode="reference">
     <xsl:call-template name="reference-documentation">
       <xsl:with-param name="refname" select="@name"/>
-      <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose"/>
+      <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose/*|purpose/text()"/>
       <xsl:with-param name="anchor">
         <xsl:call-template name="generate.id"/>
       </xsl:with-param>
diff --git a/xsl/type.xsl b/xsl/type.xsl
index 907cbf2..0bdf473 100644
--- a/xsl/type.xsl
+++ b/xsl/type.xsl
@@ -757,7 +757,7 @@ Unknown type element "<xsl:value-of select="local-name(.)"/>" in type.display.na
         </xsl:call-template>
         <xsl:apply-templates select="specialization"/>
       </xsl:with-param>
-      <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="./purpose"/>
+      <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose/*|purpose/text()"/>
       <xsl:with-param name="anchor">
         <xsl:call-template name="generate.id">
           <xsl:with-param name="node" select="."/>
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ Unknown type element "<xsl:value-of select="local-name(.)"/>" in type.display.na
             <xsl:with-param name="node" select="."/>
           </xsl:call-template>
         </xsl:with-param>
-        <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose"/>
+        <xsl:with-param name="purpose" select="purpose/*|purpose/text()"/>
         <xsl:with-param name="anchor">
           <xsl:call-template name="generate.id">
             <xsl:with-param name="node" select="."/>