diff --git a/netconf/rpc.go b/netconf/rpc.go
index 0e069c2..1421700 100644
--- a/netconf/rpc.go
+++ b/netconf/rpc.go
@@ -49,18 +49,23 @@ type RPCReply struct {
 	XMLName  xml.Name   `xml:"rpc-reply"`
 	Errors   []RPCError `xml:"rpc-error,omitempty"`
 	Data     string     `xml:",innerxml"`
-	Ok       bool       `xml:",omitempty"`
+	Ok       bool       `xml:"ok,omitempty"`
 	RawReply string     `xml:"-"`
 }
 
 func newRPCReply(rawXML []byte, ErrOnWarning bool) (*RPCReply, error) {
-	reply := &RPCReply{}
+	reply := &RPCReply{Ok: true}
 	reply.RawReply = string(rawXML)
 
 	if err := xml.Unmarshal(rawXML, reply); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// ugly workaround for golang's XML unmarshaling of empty tags
+	// if <ok/> is missing then omitempty behavior makes Ok true
+	// if <ok/> is present then omitempty behavior makes OK the value of that tag (nil) which then translates to false
+	reply.Ok = !reply.Ok
+
 	if reply.Errors != nil {
 		for _, rpcErr := range reply.Errors {
 			if rpcErr.Severity == "error" || ErrOnWarning {
diff --git a/netconf/rpc_test.go b/netconf/rpc_test.go
index c8fc370..4bbd81d 100644
--- a/netconf/rpc_test.go
+++ b/netconf/rpc_test.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ var RPCReplytests = []struct {
 </commit-results>
 <ok/>
 </rpc-reply>`,
-		false,
+		true,
 	},
 	{
 		`
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ configuration check-out failed: (missing mandatory statements)
 </commit-results>
 <ok/>
 </rpc-reply>`,
-		false,
+		true,
 	},
 }
 
@@ -173,5 +173,8 @@ func TestNewRPCReply(t *testing.T) {
 		if reply.RawReply != tc.rawXML {
 			t.Errorf("newRPCReply(%q) did not set RawReply to input, got %q", tc.rawXML, reply.RawReply)
 		}
+		if reply.Ok != tc.replyOk {
+			t.Errorf("newRPCReply(%q).Ok == %v, want %v", tc.rawXML, reply.Ok, tc.replyOk)
+		}
 	}
 }