diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf3.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf3.py
index d3e54f156f..fac445efb3 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf3.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf3.py
@@ -547,6 +547,26 @@ def set_comments(root, prefixes, refines, val):
             m.append(c)
 # }}}
 
+# Publisher {{{
+
+@simple_text
+def read_publisher(root, prefixes, refines):
+    for dc in XPath('./opf:metadata/dc:publisher')(root):
+        if dc.text:
+            return dc.text
+
+def set_publisher(root, prefixes, refines, val):
+    for dc in XPath('./opf:metadata/dc:publisher')(root):
+        remove_element(dc, refines)
+    m = XPath('./opf:metadata')(root)[0]
+    if val:
+        val = val.strip()
+        if val:
+            c = m.makeelement(DC('publisher'))
+            c.text = normalize_whitespace(val)
+            m.append(c)
+# }}}
+
 def read_metadata(root):
     ans = Metadata(_('Unknown'), [_('Unknown')])
     prefixes, refines = read_prefixes(root), read_refines(root)
@@ -579,6 +599,7 @@ def read_metadata(root):
     if not is_date_undefined(lm):
         ans.last_modified = lm
     ans.comments = read_comments(root, prefixes, refines) or ans.comments
+    ans.publisher = read_publisher(root, prefixes, refines) or ans.publisher
     return ans
 
 def get_metadata(stream):
@@ -598,6 +619,7 @@ def apply_metadata(root, mi, cover_prefix='', cover_data=None, apply_null=False,
     set_pubdate(root, prefixes, refines, mi.pubdate)
     set_timestamp(root, prefixes, refines, mi.timestamp)
     set_comments(root, prefixes, refines, mi.comments)
+    set_publisher(root, prefixes, refines, mi.publisher)
 
     pretty_print_opf(root)
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf3_test.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf3_test.py
index 4b985324d4..5c32a8db42 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf3_test.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/opf3_test.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from calibre.ebooks.metadata.opf3 import (
     read_authors, Author, set_authors, ensure_prefix, read_prefixes,
     read_book_producers, set_book_producers, read_timestamp, set_timestamp,
     read_pubdate, set_pubdate, CALIBRE_PREFIX, read_last_modified, read_comments,
-    set_comments
+    set_comments, read_publisher, set_publisher
 )
 
 TEMPLATE = '''<package xmlns="http://www.idpf.org/2007/opf" version="3.0" prefix="calibre: %s" unique-identifier="uid"><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:opf="http://www.idpf.org/2007/opf">{metadata}</metadata></package>''' % CALIBRE_PREFIX  # noqa
@@ -181,6 +181,18 @@ class TestOPF3(unittest.TestCase):
             return rt(root)
         root = self.get_opf('''<dc:description>&lt;span&gt;one&lt;/span&gt;</dc:description><dc:description> xxx</dc:description>''')
         self.ae('<span>one</span>\nxxx', rt(root))
+        self.ae('<a>p</a>', st(root, '<a>p</a> '))
+    # }}}
+
+    def test_publisher(self):  # {{{
+        def rt(root):
+            return read_publisher(root, read_prefixes(root), read_refines(root))
+        def st(root, val):
+            set_publisher(root, read_prefixes(root), read_refines(root), val)
+            return rt(root)
+        root = self.get_opf('''<dc:publisher> one </dc:publisher><dc:publisher> xxx</dc:publisher>''')
+        self.ae('one', rt(root))
+        self.ae('<a>p</a>', st(root, '<a>p</a> '))
     # }}}
 
 # Run tests {{{