diff --git a/src/kernel/call_transformation/kernel_call_transformation.clas.abap b/src/kernel/call_transformation/kernel_call_transformation.clas.abap
index f88d099d..d0c8cbc8 100644
--- a/src/kernel/call_transformation/kernel_call_transformation.clas.abap
+++ b/src/kernel/call_transformation/kernel_call_transformation.clas.abap
@@ -42,10 +42,17 @@ CLASS kernel_call_transformation IMPLEMENTATION.
     DATA lv_dummy  TYPE string.
     DATA li_writer TYPE REF TO if_sxml_writer.
     DATA li_doc    TYPE REF TO if_ixml_document.
+    DATA lv_str_bom TYPE string.
+    DATA lv_hex_bom TYPE xstring.
 
 
     CLEAR mi_doc.
 
+    lv_hex_bom = cl_abap_char_utilities=>byte_order_mark_big.
+    lv_str_bom = cl_abap_codepage=>convert_from(
+      source   = lv_hex_bom
+      codepage = 'UTF-16' ).
+
 *    WRITE '@KERNEL console.dir(INPUT);'.
 
 * only the ID transformation is implemented
@@ -58,7 +65,7 @@ CLASS kernel_call_transformation IMPLEMENTATION.
     WRITE '@KERNEL if (INPUT.sourceXML?.constructor.name === "ABAPObject") this.mi_doc.set(INPUT.sourceXML);'.
     WRITE '@KERNEL if (INPUT.sourceXML?.constructor.name === "String") lv_source.set(INPUT.sourceXML);'.
     IF lv_source IS NOT INITIAL.
-      IF lv_source(1) = '<'.
+      IF lv_source(1) = '<' OR ( strlen( lv_source ) > 1 AND lv_source(1) = lv_str_bom AND lv_source+1(1) = '<' ).
         lv_type = 'XML'.
         parse_xml( lv_source ).
       ELSEIF lv_source(1) = '{' OR lv_source(1) = '['.
diff --git a/src/kernel/call_transformation/kernel_call_transformation.clas.testclasses.abap b/src/kernel/call_transformation/kernel_call_transformation.clas.testclasses.abap
index ab15d497..03ff83a3 100644
--- a/src/kernel/call_transformation/kernel_call_transformation.clas.testclasses.abap
+++ b/src/kernel/call_transformation/kernel_call_transformation.clas.testclasses.abap
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ CLASS ltcl_call_transformation DEFINITION FOR TESTING RISK LEVEL HARMLESS DURATI
     METHODS xml_to_xml FOR TESTING RAISING cx_static_check.
     METHODS xml_to_xml_rm_header FOR TESTING RAISING cx_static_check.
     METHODS xml_to_xml_rm_header_bom FOR TESTING RAISING cx_static_check.
+    METHODS byte_order_mark FOR TESTING RAISING cx_static_check.
 ENDCLASS.
 
 CLASS ltcl_call_transformation IMPLEMENTATION.
@@ -1142,4 +1143,30 @@ CLASS ltcl_call_transformation IMPLEMENTATION.
 
   ENDMETHOD.
 
+  METHOD byte_order_mark.
+
+    DATA: BEGIN OF ls_data,
+            foo TYPE i,
+          END OF ls_data.
+    DATA lv_xml     TYPE string.
+    DATA lv_str_bom TYPE string.
+    DATA lv_hex_bom TYPE xstring.
+
+    lv_hex_bom = cl_abap_char_utilities=>byte_order_mark_big.
+    lv_str_bom = cl_abap_codepage=>convert_from(
+      source   = lv_hex_bom
+      codepage = 'UTF-16' ).
+
+    lv_xml = |{ lv_str_bom }<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>| &&
+      |<asx:abap xmlns:asx="http://www.sap.com/abapxml" version="1.0"><asx:values>| &&
+      |<REPO></REPO>| &&
+      |</asx:values></asx:abap>|.
+
+    CALL TRANSFORMATION id
+      OPTIONS value_handling = 'accept_data_loss'
+      SOURCE XML lv_xml
+      RESULT repo = ls_data.
+
+  ENDMETHOD.
+
 ENDCLASS.
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