diff --git a/Data/Text.hs b/Data/Text.hs
--- a/Data/Text.hs
+++ b/Data/Text.hs
@@ -166,12 +166,18 @@
                 Eq(..), Ord(..), (++),
                 Read(..), Show(..),
                 (&&), (||), (+), (-), (.), ($), (>>), (*),
-                div, not, return, otherwise)
+                div, error, not, return, otherwise)
 #if defined(HAVE_DEEPSEQ)
 import Control.DeepSeq (NFData)
 #endif
 import Control.Exception (assert)
 import Data.Char (isSpace)
+import Data.Data (Data(gfoldl, toConstr, gunfold, dataTypeOf))
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 612
+import Data.Data (mkNoRepType)
+#else
+import Data.Data (mkNorepType)
+#endif
 import Control.Monad (foldM)
 import Control.Monad.ST (ST)
 import qualified Data.Text.Array as A
@@ -219,6 +225,28 @@
 
 #if defined(HAVE_DEEPSEQ)
 instance NFData Text
+#endif
+
+-- This instance preserves data abstraction at the cost of inefficiency.
+-- We omit reflection services for the sake of data abstraction.
+-- 
+-- This instance was created by copying the behavior of Data.Set and
+-- Data.Map. If you feel a mistake has been made, please feel free to
+-- submit improvements.
+--
+-- Original discussion is archived here:
+
+--  "could we get a Data instance for Data.Text.Text?"
+--  http://groups.google.com/group/haskell-cafe/browse_thread/thread/b5bbb1b28a7e525d/0639d46852575b93
+
+instance Data Text where
+  gfoldl f z txt = z pack `f` (unpack txt)
+  toConstr _     = error "Data.Text.Text.toConstr"
+  gunfold _ _    = error "Data.Text.Text.gunfold"
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 612
+  dataTypeOf _   = mkNoRepType "Data.Text.Text"
+#else
+  dataTypeOf _   = mkNorepType "Data.Text.Text"
 #endif
 
 -- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Data/Text/Lazy.hs b/Data/Text/Lazy.hs
--- a/Data/Text/Lazy.hs
+++ b/Data/Text/Lazy.hs
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@
 import Prelude (Char, Bool(..), Maybe(..), String,
                 Eq(..), Ord(..), Read(..), Show(..),
                 (&&), (+), (-), (.), ($), (++),
-                div, flip, fromIntegral, not, otherwise)
+                div, error, flip, fromIntegral, not, otherwise)
 import qualified Prelude as P
 #if defined(HAVE_DEEPSEQ)
 import Control.DeepSeq (NFData(..))
@@ -175,6 +175,12 @@
 import Data.Int (Int64)
 import qualified Data.List as L
 import Data.Char (isSpace)
+import Data.Data (Data(gfoldl, toConstr, gunfold, dataTypeOf))
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 612
+import Data.Data (mkNoRepType)
+#else
+import Data.Data (mkNorepType)
+#endif
 import Data.Monoid (Monoid(..))
 import Data.String (IsString(..))
 import qualified Data.Text as T
@@ -214,6 +220,16 @@
 instance NFData Text where
     rnf Empty        = ()
     rnf (Chunk _ ts) = rnf ts
+#endif
+
+instance Data Text where
+  gfoldl f z txt = z pack `f` (unpack txt)
+  toConstr _     = error "Data.Text.Lazy.Text.toConstr"
+  gunfold _ _    = error "Data.Text.Lazy.Text.gunfold"
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 612
+  dataTypeOf _   = mkNoRepType "Data.Text.Lazy.Text"
+#else
+  dataTypeOf _   = mkNorepType "Data.Text.Lazy.Text"
 #endif
 
 -- | /O(n)/ Convert a 'String' into a 'Text'.
diff --git a/text.cabal b/text.cabal
--- a/text.cabal
+++ b/text.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:           text
-version:        0.7.0.1
+version:        0.7.1.0
 synopsis:       An efficient packed Unicode text type
 description:    An efficient packed Unicode text type.
 license:        BSD3