diff --git a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
index 05775aa25..5fe7cf620 100644
--- a/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog/7.x.x.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 7.7.4
+ - fixed #9816: Syndicated content asset fails on feeds including a UTF8 BOM
  - fixed: Spam in the wiki  (#10050)
  - fixed: Apply button applies but reloads old content in editor  (#9827)
  - fixed: maintenance tasks in parallel  (#9921)
diff --git a/docs/gotcha.txt b/docs/gotcha.txt
index 66c8047aa..f7c142838 100644
--- a/docs/gotcha.txt
+++ b/docs/gotcha.txt
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ upgrading from one version to the next, or even between multiple
 versions. Be sure to heed the warnings contained herein as they will
 save you many hours of grief.
 
+
+7.7.4
+--------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * WebGUI now requires XML::FeedPP version 0.40 or greater.
+
+
 7.7.2
 --------------------------------------------------------------------
    * WebGUI now requires Clone version 0.31 or greater.
diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/SyndicatedContent.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/SyndicatedContent.pm
index f8d1893f6..17de55e50 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/SyndicatedContent.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/SyndicatedContent.pm
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ sub generateFeed {
         # care of any encoding specified in the XML prolog
         utf8::downgrade($value, 1);
         eval {
-            my $singleFeed = XML::FeedPP->new($value, utf8_flag => 1);
+            my $singleFeed = XML::FeedPP->new($value, utf8_flag => 1, -type => 'string');
             $feed->merge($singleFeed);
         };
         if ($@) {
diff --git a/sbin/testEnvironment.pl b/sbin/testEnvironment.pl
index af0a6f09d..d8f06cbe1 100755
--- a/sbin/testEnvironment.pl
+++ b/sbin/testEnvironment.pl
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ checkModule("HTML::Highlight",              0.20         );
 checkModule("HTML::TagFilter",              0.07         );
 checkModule("HTML::Template",               2.9          );
 checkModule("HTML::Template::Expr",         0.05,      2 );
-checkModule("XML::FeedPP",                  0.37         );
+checkModule("XML::FeedPP",                  0.40         );
 checkModule("JSON",                         2.04         );
 checkModule("Config::JSON",                 "1.1.2"      );
 checkModule("Text::CSV_XS",                 "0.52"       );