diff --git a/Text/RSS/Conduit/Parse.hs b/Text/RSS/Conduit/Parse.hs
--- a/Text/RSS/Conduit/Parse.hs
+++ b/Text/RSS/Conduit/Parse.hs
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
   flip foldM p $ RssDocument version
     <$> handlesM _ChannelTitle (lastRequired "Missing <title> element.")
     <*> handlesM _ChannelLink (lastRequired "Missing <link> element.")
-    <*> handlesM _ChannelDescription (lastRequired "Missing <description> element.")
+    <*> generalize (handles _ChannelDescription $ lastDef "")  -- Lenient
     <*> generalize (handles _ChannelItem list)
     <*> generalize (handles _ChannelLanguage $ lastDef "")
     <*> generalize (handles _ChannelCopyright $ lastDef "")
diff --git a/Text/RSS/Types.hs b/Text/RSS/Types.hs
--- a/Text/RSS/Types.hs
+++ b/Text/RSS/Types.hs
@@ -78,6 +78,13 @@
   RssURI a@URI{} == RssURI b@URI{} = a == b
   RssURI a@RelativeRef{} == RssURI b@RelativeRef{} = a == b
   _ == _ = False
+
+instance Ord RssURI where
+  RssURI a@URI{} `compare` RssURI b@URI{} = a `compare` b
+  RssURI a@RelativeRef{} `compare` RssURI b@RelativeRef{} = a `compare` b
+  RssURI a@RelativeRef{} `compare` RssURI b@URI{} = LT
+  _ `compare` _ = GT
+
 instance Show RssURI where
   show (RssURI a@URI{}) = show a
   show (RssURI a@RelativeRef{}) = show a
@@ -94,6 +101,7 @@
 
 deriving instance Eq RssCategory
 deriving instance Generic RssCategory
+deriving instance Ord RssCategory
 deriving instance Show RssCategory
 
 
@@ -106,6 +114,7 @@
 
 deriving instance Eq RssEnclosure
 deriving instance Generic RssEnclosure
+deriving instance Ord RssEnclosure
 deriving instance Show RssEnclosure
 
 
@@ -117,12 +126,13 @@
 
 deriving instance Eq RssSource
 deriving instance Generic RssSource
+deriving instance Ord RssSource
 deriving instance Show RssSource
 
 
 -- | The @\<guid\>@ element.
 data RssGuid = GuidText Text | GuidUri RssURI
-  deriving(Eq, Generic, Show)
+  deriving(Eq, Generic, Ord, Show)
 
 
 -- | The @\<item\>@ element.
@@ -141,6 +151,7 @@
 
 deriving instance Eq RssItem
 deriving instance Generic RssItem
+deriving instance Ord RssItem
 deriving instance Show RssItem
 
 
@@ -154,10 +165,11 @@
 
 deriving instance Eq RssTextInput
 deriving instance Generic RssTextInput
+deriving instance Ord RssTextInput
 deriving instance Show RssTextInput
 
 data CloudProtocol = ProtocolXmlRpc | ProtocolSoap | ProtocolHttpPost
-  deriving(Eq, Generic, Show)
+  deriving(Eq, Generic, Ord, Show)
 
 -- | The @\<cloud\>@ element.
 data RssCloud = RssCloud
@@ -168,6 +180,7 @@
 
 deriving instance Eq RssCloud
 deriving instance Generic RssCloud
+deriving instance Ord RssCloud
 deriving instance Show RssCloud
 
 -- | The @\<image\>@ element.
@@ -182,6 +195,7 @@
 
 deriving instance Eq RssImage
 deriving instance Generic RssImage
+deriving instance Ord RssImage
 deriving instance Show RssImage
 
 
@@ -228,4 +242,5 @@
 
 deriving instance Eq RssDocument
 deriving instance Generic RssDocument
+deriving instance Ord RssDocument
 deriving instance Show RssDocument
diff --git a/rss-conduit.cabal b/rss-conduit.cabal
--- a/rss-conduit.cabal
+++ b/rss-conduit.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                rss-conduit
-version:             0.2.0.1
+version:             0.2.0.2
 synopsis:            Streaming parser/renderer for the RSS 2.0 standard.
 description:         Cf README file.
 license:             OtherLicense