diff --git a/openmc/material.py b/openmc/material.py
index 7c271cc30..7d59c52ee 100644
--- a/openmc/material.py
+++ b/openmc/material.py
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ class Material(object):
 
     @depletable.setter
     def depletable(self, depletable):
-        cv.check_type('Depletable flag for Material ID="{}"'.format(self._id),
+        cv.check_type('Depletable flag for Material ID="{}"'.format(self.id),
                       depletable, bool)
         self._depletable = depletable
 
@@ -771,6 +771,9 @@ class Material(object):
         if len(self._name) > 0:
             element.set("name", str(self._name))
 
+        if self._depletable:
+            element.set("depletable", "true")
+
         # Create temperature XML subelement
         if self.temperature is not None:
             subelement = ET.SubElement(element, "temperature")
diff --git a/openmc/summary.py b/openmc/summary.py
index b283ed502..5bc4c56a2 100644
--- a/openmc/summary.py
+++ b/openmc/summary.py
@@ -97,23 +97,25 @@ class Summary(object):
         # Values   - Material objects
         self.materials = {}
 
-        for key in self._f['materials'].keys():
+        for key, group in self._f['materials'].items():
             if key == 'n_materials':
                 continue
 
             material_id = int(key.lstrip('material '))
-            index = self._f['materials'][key]['index'].value
-            name = self._f['materials'][key]['name'].value.decode()
-            density = self._f['materials'][key]['atom_density'].value
-            nuc_densities = self._f['materials'][key]['nuclide_densities'][...]
-            nuclides = self._f['materials'][key]['nuclides'].value
+
+            index = group['index'].value
+            name = group['name'].value.decode()
+            density = group['atom_density'].value
+            nuc_densities = group['nuclide_densities'][...]
+            nuclides = group['nuclides'].value
 
             # Create the Material
             material = openmc.Material(material_id=material_id, name=name)
+            material.depletable = bool(group.attrs['depletable'])
 
             # Read the names of the S(a,b) tables for this Material and add them
-            if 'sab_names' in self._f['materials'][key]:
-                sab_tables = self._f['materials'][key]['sab_names'].value
+            if 'sab_names' in group:
+                sab_tables = group['sab_names'].value
                 for sab_table in sab_tables:
                     name = sab_table.decode()
                     material.add_s_alpha_beta(name)
diff --git a/src/input_xml.F90 b/src/input_xml.F90
index 46eea2c51..fa2e9881c 100644
--- a/src/input_xml.F90
+++ b/src/input_xml.F90
@@ -2251,6 +2251,13 @@ contains
         call fatal_error("Must specify id of material in materials XML file")
       end if
 
+      ! Check if material is depletable
+      if (check_for_node(node_mat, "depletable")) then
+        call get_node_value(node_mat, "depletable", temp_str)
+        if (to_lower(temp_str) == "true" .or. temp_str == "1") &
+             mat % depletable = .true.
+      end if
+
       ! Check to make sure 'id' hasn't been used
       if (material_dict % has_key(mat % id)) then
         call fatal_error("Two or more materials use the same unique ID: " &
diff --git a/src/material_header.F90 b/src/material_header.F90
index f7c1b5db0..fdc36548f 100644
--- a/src/material_header.F90
+++ b/src/material_header.F90
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ module material_header
     character(20), allocatable :: names(:)     ! isotope names
     character(20), allocatable :: sab_names(:) ! name of S(a,b) table
 
-    ! Does this material contain fissionable nuclides?
+    ! Does this material contain fissionable nuclides? Is it depletable?
     logical :: fissionable = .false.
+    logical :: depletable = .false.
 
     ! enforce isotropic scattering in lab
     logical, allocatable :: p0(:)
diff --git a/src/summary.F90 b/src/summary.F90
index efe07b1ab..78a8276f1 100644
--- a/src/summary.F90
+++ b/src/summary.F90
@@ -536,6 +536,12 @@ contains
       material_group = create_group(materials_group, "material " // &
            trim(to_str(m%id)))
 
+      if (m % depletable) then
+        call write_attribute(material_group, "depletable", 1)
+      else
+        call write_attribute(material_group, "depletable", 0)
+      end if
+
       ! Write internal OpenMC index for this material
       call write_dataset(material_group, "index", i)