diff --git a/doc/CMakeLists.txt b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
index 05e0a13ef..8d4692fdb 100644
--- a/doc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/doc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ option(GTSAM_BUILD_DOCS                  "Enable/Disable building of doxygen doc
 # configure doxygen
 option(GTSAM_BUILD_DOC_HTML              "Enable/Disable doxygen HTML output"    ON)
 option(GTSAM_BUILD_DOC_LATEX             "Enable/Disable doxygen LaTeX output"   OFF)
+option(GTSAM_GENERATE_DOC_XML            "Enable/Disable doxygen XML output"     OFF)
 
 # add a target to generate API documentation with Doxygen
 if (GTSAM_BUILD_DOCS)
-    # Convert configuration to YES/NO variables
+    # The following if statements convert ON/OFF CMake flags to YES/NO variables
+    # since Doxygen expects YES/NO for boolean options.
     if (GTSAM_BUILD_DOC_HTML)
         set(GTSAM_BUILD_DOC_HTML_YN "YES")
     else() 
@@ -20,6 +22,12 @@ if (GTSAM_BUILD_DOCS)
         set(GTSAM_BUILD_DOC_LATEX_YN "NO")
     endif()
 
+    if (GTSAM_GENERATE_DOC_XML)
+        set(GTSAM_GENERATE_XML_YN "YES")
+    else() 
+        set(GTSAM_GENERATE_XML_YN "NO")
+    endif()
+
     # GTSAM core subfolders
     set(gtsam_doc_subdirs 
         gtsam/base
diff --git a/doc/Doxyfile.in b/doc/Doxyfile.in
index 0f789be66..3461127ae 100644
--- a/doc/Doxyfile.in
+++ b/doc/Doxyfile.in
@@ -2120,7 +2120,7 @@ MAN_LINKS              = NO
 # captures the structure of the code including all documentation.
 # The default value is: NO.
 
-GENERATE_XML           = NO
+GENERATE_XML           = @GTSAM_GENERATE_XML_YN@
 
 # The XML_OUTPUT tag is used to specify where the XML pages will be put. If a
 # relative path is entered the value of OUTPUT_DIRECTORY will be put in front of
diff --git a/python/README.md b/python/README.md
index 5f7522920..4d195a821 100644
--- a/python/README.md
+++ b/python/README.md
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@ For instructions on updating the version of the [wrap library](https://github.co
 
 See Windows Installation in INSTALL.md in the root directory.
 
+## Generate Docstrings
+
+The wrap library provides for building the Python wrapper with docstrings included, sourced from the C++ Doxygen comments. To build the Python wrapper with docstrings, follow these instructions:
+
+1. Build GTSAM with the flag `-DGTSAM_GENERATE_DOC_XML=1`. This will compile the `doc/Doxyfile.in` into a `Doxyfile` with `GENERATE_XML` set to `ON`.
+2. From the project root directory, run `doxygen build/<build_name>/doc/Doxyfile`. This will generate the Doxygen XML documentation in `xml/`.
+3. Build the Python wrapper with the CMake option `GTWRAP_ADD_DOCSTRINGS` enabled.
+
 ## Unit Tests
 
 The Python toolbox also has a small set of unit tests located in the