diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BaseKeyboard.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BaseKeyboard.java
index 517bfbfda..cb41ad047 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BaseKeyboard.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BaseKeyboard.java
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ public class BaseKeyboard {
 
     /**
      * Container for keys in the keyboard. All keys in a row are at the same Y-coordinate.
-     * Some of the key size defaults can be overridden per row from what the {@link Keyboard}
+     * Some of the key size defaults can be overridden per row from what the {@link BaseKeyboard}
      * defines.
      */
     public static class Row {
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ public class BaseKeyboard {
         public int verticalGap;
         /**
          * Edge flags for this row of keys. Possible values that can be assigned are
-         * {@link Keyboard#EDGE_TOP EDGE_TOP} and {@link Keyboard#EDGE_BOTTOM EDGE_BOTTOM}
+         * {@link BaseKeyboard#EDGE_TOP EDGE_TOP} and {@link BaseKeyboard#EDGE_BOTTOM EDGE_BOTTOM}
          */
         public int rowEdgeFlags;
 
@@ -217,8 +217,8 @@ public class BaseKeyboard {
         /**
          * Flags that specify the anchoring to edges of the keyboard for detecting touch events
          * that are just out of the boundary of the key. This is a bit mask of
-         * {@link Keyboard#EDGE_LEFT}, {@link Keyboard#EDGE_RIGHT}, {@link Keyboard#EDGE_TOP} and
-         * {@link Keyboard#EDGE_BOTTOM}.
+         * {@link BaseKeyboard#EDGE_LEFT}, {@link BaseKeyboard#EDGE_RIGHT},
+         * {@link BaseKeyboard#EDGE_TOP} and {@link BaseKeyboard#EDGE_BOTTOM}.
          */
         public int edgeFlags;
         /** Whether this is a modifier key, such as Shift or Alt */
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ public class BaseKeyboard {
          * the XML parser.
          * @param res resources associated with the caller's context
          * @param parent the row that this key belongs to. The row must already be attached to
-         * a {@link Keyboard}.
+         * a {@link BaseKeyboard}.
          * @param x the x coordinate of the top-left
          * @param y the y coordinate of the top-left
          * @param parser the XML parser containing the attributes for this key
diff --git a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BaseKeyboardParser.java b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BaseKeyboardParser.java
index b718c14be..628e764b5 100644
--- a/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BaseKeyboardParser.java
+++ b/java/src/com/android/inputmethod/latin/BaseKeyboardParser.java
@@ -24,13 +24,58 @@ import org.xmlpull.v1.XmlPullParserException;
 import android.content.res.Resources;
 import android.content.res.TypedArray;
 import android.content.res.XmlResourceParser;
+import android.util.Log;
 import android.util.TypedValue;
 import android.util.Xml;
 import android.view.InflateException;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.List;
 
+/**
+ * Parser for BaseKeyboard.
+ *
+ * This class parses Keyboard XML file and fill out keys in BaseKeyboard.
+ * The Keyboard XML file looks like:
+ * <pre>
+ *   &gt;!-- xml/keyboard.xml --&lt;
+ *   &gt;Keyboard keyboard_attributes*&lt;
+ *     &gt;!-- Keyboard Content --&lt;
+ *     &gt;Row row_attributes*&lt;
+ *       &gt;!-- Row Content --&lt;
+ *       &gt;Key key_attributes* /&lt;
+ *       &gt;Spacer horizontalGap="0.2in" /&lt;
+ *       &gt;include keyboardLayout="@xml/other_keys"&lt;
+ *       ...
+ *     &gt;/Row&lt;
+ *     &gt;include keyboardLayout="@xml/other_rows"&lt;
+ *     ...
+ *   &gt;/Keyboard&lt;
+ * </pre>
+ * The xml file which is included in other file must have &gt;merge&lt; as root element, such as:
+ * <pre>
+ *   &gt;!-- xml/other_keys.xml --&lt;
+ *   &gt;merge&lt;
+ *     &gt;Key key_attributes* /&lt;
+ *     ...
+ *   &gt;/merge&lt;
+ * </pre>
+ * and
+ * <pre>
+ *   &gt;!-- xml/other_rows.xml --&lt;
+ *   &gt;merge&lt;
+ *     &gt;Row row_attributes*&lt;
+ *       &gt;Key key_attributes* /&lt;
+ *     &gt;/Row&lt;
+ *     ...
+ *   &gt;/merge&lt;
+ * </pre>
+ */
 public class BaseKeyboardParser {
+    private static final String TAG = "BaseKeyboardParser";
+    private static final boolean DEBUG_TAG = false;
+    private static final boolean DEBUG_PARSER = false;
+
     // Keyboard XML Tags
     private static final String TAG_KEYBOARD = "Keyboard";
     private static final String TAG_ROW = "Row";
@@ -63,71 +108,216 @@ public class BaseKeyboardParser {
 
     public void parseKeyboard(XmlResourceParser parser)
             throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
-        final BaseKeyboard keyboard = mKeyboard;
-        Key key = null;
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugEnterMethod("parseKeyboard", false);
+        int event;
+        while ((event = parser.next()) != XmlResourceParser.END_DOCUMENT) {
+            if (event == XmlResourceParser.START_TAG) {
+                final String tag = parser.getName();
+                if (DEBUG_TAG) debugStartTag("parseKeyboard", tag, false);
+                if (TAG_KEYBOARD.equals(tag)) {
+                    parseKeyboardAttributes(parser);
+                    parseKeyboardContent(parser, mKeyboard.getKeys());
+                    break;
+                } else {
+                    throw new IllegalStartTag(parser, TAG_KEYBOARD);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugLeaveMethod("parseKeyboard", false);
+    }
 
+    private void parseKeyboardAttributes(XmlResourceParser parser) {
+        final BaseKeyboard keyboard = mKeyboard;
+        final TypedArray a = mResources.obtainAttributes(Xml.asAttributeSet(parser),
+                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard);
+        final int width = keyboard.getKeyboardWidth();
+        final int height = keyboard.getKeyboardHeight();
+        keyboard.setKeyWidth(getDimensionOrFraction(a,
+                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_keyWidth, width, width / 10));
+        keyboard.setKeyHeight(getDimensionOrFraction(a,
+                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_keyHeight, height, 50));
+        keyboard.setHorizontalGap(getDimensionOrFraction(a,
+                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_horizontalGap, width, 0));
+        keyboard.setVerticalGap(getDimensionOrFraction(a,
+                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_verticalGap, height, 0));
+        a.recycle();
+    }
+
+    private void parseKeyboardContent(XmlResourceParser parser, final List<Key> keys)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugEnterMethod("parseKeyboardContent", keys == null);
+        int event;
+        while ((event = parser.next()) != XmlResourceParser.END_DOCUMENT) {
+            if (event == XmlResourceParser.START_TAG) {
+                final String tag = parser.getName();
+                if (DEBUG_TAG) debugStartTag("parseKeyboardContent", tag, keys == null);
+                if (TAG_ROW.equals(tag)) {
+                    Row row = mKeyboard.createRowFromXml(mResources, parser);
+                    if (keys != null && maybeStartRow(row)) {
+                        parseRowContent(parser, row, keys);
+                    } else {
+                        // Skip entire <Row></Row>
+                        parseRowContent(parser, row, null);
+                    }
+                } else if (TAG_INCLUDE.equals(tag)) {
+                    parseIncludeKeyboardContent(parser, keys);
+                } else {
+                    throw new IllegalStartTag(parser, TAG_ROW);
+                }
+            } else if (event == XmlResourceParser.END_TAG) {
+                final String tag = parser.getName();
+                if (DEBUG_TAG) debugEndTag("parseKeyboardContent", tag, keys == null);
+                if (TAG_KEYBOARD.equals(tag)) {
+                    endKeyboard(mKeyboard.getVerticalGap());
+                    break;
+                } else if (TAG_MERGE.equals(tag)) {
+                    break;
+                } else {
+                    throw new IllegalEndTag(parser, TAG_ROW);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugLeaveMethod("parseKeyboardContent", keys == null);
+    }
+
+    private void parseRowContent(XmlResourceParser parser, Row row, List<Key> keys)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugEnterMethod("parseRowContent", keys == null);
+        int event;
+        while ((event = parser.next()) != XmlResourceParser.END_DOCUMENT) {
+            if (event == XmlResourceParser.START_TAG) {
+                final String tag = parser.getName();
+                if (DEBUG_TAG) debugStartTag("parseRowContent", tag, keys == null);
+                if (TAG_KEY.equals(tag)) {
+                    parseKey(parser, row, keys);
+                } else if (TAG_SPACER.equals(tag)) {
+                    parseSpacer(parser, keys);
+                } else if (TAG_INCLUDE.equals(tag)) {
+                    parseIncludeRowContent(parser, row, keys);
+                } else {
+                    throw new IllegalStartTag(parser, TAG_KEY);
+                }
+            } else if (event == XmlResourceParser.END_TAG) {
+                final String tag = parser.getName();
+                if (DEBUG_TAG) debugEndTag("parseRowContent", tag, keys == null);
+                if (TAG_ROW.equals(tag)) {
+                    if (keys != null)
+                        endRow();
+                    break;
+                } else if (TAG_MERGE.equals(tag)) {
+                    break;
+                } else {
+                    throw new IllegalEndTag(parser, TAG_KEY);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugLeaveMethod("parseRowContent", keys == null);
+    }
+
+    private void parseKey(XmlResourceParser parser, Row row, List<Key> keys)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugEnterMethod("parseKey", keys == null);
+        if (keys == null) {
+            checkEndTag(TAG_KEY, parser);
+        } else {
+            Key key = mKeyboard.createKeyFromXml(mResources, row, mCurrentX, mCurrentY, parser);
+            checkEndTag(TAG_KEY, parser);
+            keys.add(key);
+            if (key.codes[0] == BaseKeyboard.KEYCODE_SHIFT)
+                mKeyboard.getShiftKeys().add(key);
+            endKey(key);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void parseSpacer(XmlResourceParser parser, List<Key> keys)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugEnterMethod("parseSpacer", keys == null);
+        if (keys == null) {
+            checkEndTag(TAG_SPACER, parser);
+        } else {
+            final TypedArray a = mResources.obtainAttributes(Xml.asAttributeSet(parser),
+                    R.styleable.BaseKeyboard);
+            int gap = getDimensionOrFraction(a, R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_horizontalGap,
+                    mKeyboard.getKeyboardWidth(), 0);
+            a.recycle();
+            checkEndTag(TAG_SPACER, parser);
+            setSpacer(gap);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private void parseIncludeKeyboardContent(XmlResourceParser parser, List<Key> keys)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        parseIncludeInternal(parser, null, keys);
+    }
+
+    private void parseIncludeRowContent(XmlResourceParser parser, Row row, List<Key> keys)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        parseIncludeInternal(parser, row, keys);
+    }
+
+    private void parseIncludeInternal(XmlResourceParser parser, Row row, List<Key> keys)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugEnterMethod("parseInclude", keys == null);
+        if (keys == null) {
+            checkEndTag(TAG_INCLUDE, parser);
+        } else {
+            final TypedArray a = mResources.obtainAttributes(Xml.asAttributeSet(parser),
+                    R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_Include);
+            final int keyboardLayout = a.getResourceId(
+                    R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_Include_keyboardLayout, 0);
+            a.recycle();
+
+            checkEndTag(TAG_INCLUDE, parser);
+            if (keyboardLayout == 0)
+                throw new ParseException("No keyboardLayout attribute in <include/>", parser);
+            parseMerge(mResources.getLayout(keyboardLayout), row, keys);
+        }
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugLeaveMethod("parseInclude", keys == null);
+    }
+
+    private void parseMerge(XmlResourceParser parser, Row row, List<Key> keys)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugEnterMethod("parseMerge", keys == null);
         int event;
         while ((event = parser.next()) != XmlResourceParser.END_DOCUMENT) {
             if (event == XmlResourceParser.START_TAG) {
                 String tag = parser.getName();
-                if (TAG_ROW.equals(tag)) {
-                    // TODO createRowFromXml should not be called from
-                    // BaseKeyboard constructor.
-                    Row row = keyboard.createRowFromXml(mResources, parser);
-                    if (!startRow(row))
-                        skipToEndOfRow(parser);
-                } else if (TAG_KEY.equals(tag)) {
-                    // TODO createKeyFromXml should not be called from
-                    // BaseKeyboard constructor.
-                    key = keyboard.createKeyFromXml(mResources, mCurrentRow, mCurrentX, mCurrentY,
-                            parser);
-                    keyboard.getKeys().add(key);
-                    if (key.codes[0] == BaseKeyboard.KEYCODE_SHIFT)
-                        keyboard.getShiftKeys().add(key);
-                } else if (TAG_SPACER.equals(tag)) {
-                    parseSpacerAttribute(parser);
-                } else if (TAG_KEYBOARD.equals(tag)) {
-                    parseKeyboardAttributes(parser);
-                } else if (TAG_INCLUDE.equals(tag)) {
-                    if (parser.getDepth() == 0)
-                        throw new InflateException("<include /> cannot be the root element");
-                    parseInclude(parser);
-                } else if (TAG_MERGE.equals(tag)) {
-                    throw new InflateException(
-                            "<merge> must not be appeared in keyboard XML file");
+                if (DEBUG_TAG) debugStartTag("parseMerge", tag, keys == null);
+                if (TAG_MERGE.equals(tag)) {
+                    if (row == null) {
+                        parseKeyboardContent(parser, keys);
+                    } else {
+                        parseRowContent(parser, row, keys);
+                    }
+                    break;
                 } else {
-                    throw new InflateException("unknown start tag: " + tag);
-                }
-            } else if (event == XmlResourceParser.END_TAG) {
-                String tag = parser.getName();
-                if (TAG_KEY.equals(tag)) {
-                    endKey(key);
-                } else if (TAG_ROW.equals(tag)) {
-                    endRow();
-                } else if (TAG_SPACER.equals(tag)) {
-                    ;
-                } else if (TAG_KEYBOARD.equals(tag)) {
-                    endKeyboard(mKeyboard.getVerticalGap());
-                } else if (TAG_INCLUDE.equals(tag)) {
-                    ;
-                } else if (TAG_MERGE.equals(tag)) {
-                    return;
-                } else {
-                    throw new InflateException("unknown end tag: " + tag);
+                    throw new ParseException(
+                            "Included keyboard layout must have <merge> root element", parser);
                 }
             }
         }
+        if (DEBUG_PARSER) debugLeaveMethod("parseMerge", keys == null);
+    }
+
+    private static void checkEndTag(String tag, XmlResourceParser parser)
+            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
+        if (parser.next() == XmlResourceParser.END_TAG && tag.equals(parser.getName()))
+            return;
+        throw new NonEmptyTag(tag, parser);
     }
 
     // return true if the row is valid for this keyboard mode
-    private boolean startRow(Row row) {
-        mCurrentX = 0;
-        mCurrentRow = row;
-        return row.mode == 0 || row.mode == mKeyboard.getKeyboardMode();
-    }
-
-    private void skipRow() {
-        mCurrentRow = null;
+    private boolean maybeStartRow(Row row) {
+        if (DEBUG_TAG)
+            Log.d(TAG, String.format("startRow: mode=0x%08x keyboardMode=0x%08x",
+                    row.mode, mKeyboard.getKeyboardMode()));
+        if (row.mode == 0 || row.mode == mKeyboard.getKeyboardMode()) {
+            mCurrentX = 0;
+            mCurrentRow = row;
+            return true;
+        } else {
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
     private void endRow() {
@@ -151,73 +341,6 @@ public class BaseKeyboardParser {
         mCurrentX += gap;
     }
 
-    private void parseSpacerAttribute(XmlResourceParser parser) {
-        final TypedArray a = mResources.obtainAttributes(Xml.asAttributeSet(parser),
-                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard);
-        int gap = getDimensionOrFraction(a, R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_horizontalGap,
-                mKeyboard.getKeyboardWidth(), 0);
-        a.recycle();
-        setSpacer(gap);
-    }
-
-    private void parseInclude(XmlResourceParser parent)
-            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
-        final TypedArray a = mResources.obtainAttributes(Xml.asAttributeSet(parent),
-                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_Include);
-        final int keyboardLayout = a.getResourceId(
-                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_Include_keyboardLayout, 0);
-        a.recycle();
-        if (keyboardLayout == 0)
-            throw new InflateException("<include /> must have keyboardLayout attribute");
-        final XmlResourceParser parser = mResources.getLayout(keyboardLayout);
-
-        int event;
-        while ((event = parser.next()) != XmlResourceParser.END_DOCUMENT) {
-            if (event == XmlResourceParser.START_TAG) {
-                String name = parser.getName();
-                if (TAG_MERGE.equals(name)) {
-                    parseKeyboard(parser);
-                    return;
-                } else {
-                    throw new InflateException(
-                            "include keyboard layout must have <merge> root element");
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    private void skipToEndOfRow(XmlResourceParser parser)
-            throws XmlPullParserException, IOException {
-        int event;
-        while ((event = parser.next()) != XmlResourceParser.END_DOCUMENT) {
-            if (event == XmlResourceParser.END_TAG) {
-                String tag = parser.getName();
-                if (TAG_ROW.equals(tag)) {
-                    skipRow();
-                    return;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-        throw new InflateException("can not find </Row>");
-    }
-
-    private void parseKeyboardAttributes(XmlResourceParser parser) {
-        final BaseKeyboard keyboard = mKeyboard;
-        final TypedArray a = mResources.obtainAttributes(Xml.asAttributeSet(parser),
-                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard);
-        final int width = keyboard.getKeyboardWidth();
-        final int height = keyboard.getKeyboardHeight();
-        keyboard.setKeyWidth(getDimensionOrFraction(a,
-                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_keyWidth, width, width / 10));
-        keyboard.setKeyHeight(getDimensionOrFraction(a,
-                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_keyHeight, height, 50));
-        keyboard.setHorizontalGap(getDimensionOrFraction(a,
-                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_horizontalGap, width, 0));
-        keyboard.setVerticalGap(getDimensionOrFraction(a,
-                R.styleable.BaseKeyboard_verticalGap, height, 0));
-        a.recycle();
-    }
-
     public static int getDimensionOrFraction(TypedArray a, int index, int base, int defValue) {
         final TypedValue value = a.peekValue(index);
         if (value == null)
@@ -230,4 +353,48 @@ public class BaseKeyboardParser {
         }
         return defValue;
     }
-}
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("serial")
+    private static class ParseException extends InflateException {
+        public ParseException(String msg, XmlResourceParser parser) {
+            super(msg + " at line " + parser.getLineNumber());
+        }
+    }
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("serial")
+    private static class IllegalStartTag extends ParseException {
+        public IllegalStartTag(XmlResourceParser parser, String parent) {
+            super("Illegal start tag " + parser.getName() + " in " + parent, parser);
+        }
+    }
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("serial")
+    private static class IllegalEndTag extends ParseException {
+        public IllegalEndTag(XmlResourceParser parser, String parent) {
+            super("Illegal end tag " + parser.getName() + " in " + parent, parser);
+        }
+    }
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("serial")
+    private static class NonEmptyTag extends ParseException {
+        public NonEmptyTag(String tag, XmlResourceParser parser) {
+            super(tag + " must be empty tag", parser);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static void debugEnterMethod(String title, boolean skip) {
+        Log.d(TAG, title + ": enter" + (skip ? " skip" : ""));
+    }
+
+    private static void debugLeaveMethod(String title, boolean skip) {
+        Log.d(TAG, title + ": leave" + (skip ? " skip" : ""));
+    }
+
+    private static void debugStartTag(String title, String tag, boolean skip) {
+        Log.d(TAG, title + ": <" + tag + ">" + (skip ? " skip" : ""));
+    }
+
+    private static void debugEndTag(String title, String tag, boolean skip) {
+        Log.d(TAG, title + ": </" + tag + ">" + (skip ? " skip" : ""));
+    }
+ }