diff --git a/moto/sqs/responses.py b/moto/sqs/responses.py
index e3d53b5b6..f45f00f24 100644
--- a/moto/sqs/responses.py
+++ b/moto/sqs/responses.py
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ RECEIVE_MESSAGE_RESPONSE = """<ReceiveMessageResponse>
                 {% if 'Binary' in value.data_type %}
                 <BinaryValue>{{ value.binary_value }}</BinaryValue>
                 {% else %}
-                <StringValue>{{ value.string_value }}</StringValue>
+                <StringValue><![CDATA[{{ value.string_value }}]]></StringValue>
                 {% endif %}
               </Value>
             </MessageAttribute>
diff --git a/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py b/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
index 6aee36fd5..33560daef 100644
--- a/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
+++ b/tests/test_sqs/test_sqs.py
@@ -916,6 +916,28 @@ def test_send_receive_message_with_attributes_with_labels():
     )
 
 
+@mock_sqs
+def test_receive_message_with_xml_content():
+    sqs = boto3.client("sqs", region_name="eu-west-2")
+    queue_url = sqs.create_queue(QueueName="test-queue")["QueueUrl"]
+    original_payload = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"/>'
+    data = {"Payload": {"DataType": "String", "StringValue": original_payload}}
+
+    sqs.send_message(
+        QueueUrl=queue_url, MessageBody="NSWSS Atom Feed", MessageAttributes=data
+    )
+
+    messages = sqs.receive_message(
+        QueueUrl=queue_url,
+        MessageAttributeNames=("Payload",),
+        MaxNumberOfMessages=1,
+        VisibilityTimeout=0,
+    )["Messages"]
+
+    attr = messages[0]["MessageAttributes"]["Payload"]["StringValue"]
+    attr.should.equal(original_payload)
+
+
 @mock_sqs
 def test_change_message_visibility_than_permitted():
     if settings.TEST_SERVER_MODE: