diff --git a/peachjam/migrations/0092_documentcontent_content_xml.py b/peachjam/migrations/0092_documentcontent_content_xml.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d929f0213
--- /dev/null
+++ b/peachjam/migrations/0092_documentcontent_content_xml.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.16 on 2023-07-21 16:10
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("peachjam", "0091_peachjamsettings_mailchimp_form_url"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="documentcontent",
+            name="content_xml",
+            field=models.TextField(blank=True, null=True, verbose_name="document XML"),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/peachjam/models/core_document_model.py b/peachjam/models/core_document_model.py
index 0cba8f42e..e329c1e5a 100644
--- a/peachjam/models/core_document_model.py
+++ b/peachjam/models/core_document_model.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import tempfile
 
 import magic
-from cobalt.akn import datestring
+from cobalt.akn import StructuredDocument, datestring
 from cobalt.uri import FrbrUri
 from countries_plus.models import Country
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -813,11 +813,22 @@ class DocumentContent(models.Model):
     content_text = models.TextField(
         blank=True, null=True, verbose_name=_("document text")
     )
+    # option XML content of the document
+    content_xml = models.TextField(
+        blank=True, null=True, verbose_name=_("document XML")
+    )
 
     class Meta:
         verbose_name = _("document content")
         verbose_name_plural = _("document contents")
 
+    def akn_doc(self):
+        """Get a cobalt StructureDocument instance for this document's XML, assuming it is AKN XML."""
+        if self.content_xml:
+            return StructuredDocument.for_document_type(self.document.frbr_uri_doctype)(
+                self.content_xml
+            )
+
     @classmethod
     def update_or_create_for_document(cls, document):
         """Extract the content from a document, whatever its format is."""