diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index ca2a71c..08c81c5 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ const STANDARD_SYSTEM_SERVICEDIRS: &[&str] = &[
     "/lib/dbus-1/system-services",
 ];
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub enum Access {
+    Allow,
+    Deny,
+}
+
 /// implements [`dbus-daemon`'s Configuration File](https://dbus.freedesktop.org/doc/dbus-daemon.1.html#configuration_file)
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 #[serde(try_from = "Document")]
@@ -76,7 +82,7 @@ pub struct BusConfig {
 impl TryFrom<Document> for BusConfig {
     type Error = Error;
 
-    fn try_from(value: Document) -> Result<Self> {
+    fn try_from(value: Document) -> std::result::Result<Self, Self::Error> {
         let mut bc = BusConfig::default();
 
         for element in value.busconfig {
@@ -298,6 +304,47 @@ pub struct Limits {
     pub reply_timeout: Duration,
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
+pub enum Operation {
+    Connect,
+    Own,
+    Receive,
+    Send,
+}
+type OptionalOperation = Option<Operation>;
+impl TryFrom<RuleAttributes> for OptionalOperation {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn try_from(value: RuleAttributes) -> std::result::Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        let has_connect = false;
+        let has_own = value.own.is_some();
+        let has_send = value.send_destination.is_some();
+        let has_receive =
+            value.receive_sender.is_some() || (!has_send && value.eavesdrop.is_some());
+
+        let operations_count: i8 = vec![has_connect, has_own, has_receive, has_send]
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(i8::from)
+            .sum();
+
+        if operations_count > 1 {
+            return Err(Error::msg(format!("do not mix rule attributes for connect, own, receive, and/or send operations in the same rule: {value:?}")));
+        }
+
+        if has_connect {
+            Ok(Some(Operation::Connect))
+        } else if has_own {
+            Ok(Some(Operation::Own))
+        } else if has_receive {
+            Ok(Some(Operation::Receive))
+        } else if has_send {
+            Ok(Some(Operation::Send))
+        } else {
+            Err(Error::msg(format!("rule must specify supported attributes for connect, own, receive, or send operations: {value:?}")))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Policy {
     DefaultContext(Vec<Rule>),
@@ -311,7 +358,7 @@ type OptionalPolicy = Option<Policy>;
 impl TryFrom<PolicyElement> for OptionalPolicy {
     type Error = Error;
 
-    fn try_from(value: PolicyElement) -> Result<Self> {
+    fn try_from(value: PolicyElement) -> std::result::Result<Self, Self::Error> {
         match value {
             PolicyElement {
                 at_console: Some(_),
@@ -389,10 +436,16 @@ type OptionalRule = Option<Rule>;
 impl TryFrom<RuleElement> for OptionalRule {
     type Error = Error;
 
-    fn try_from(value: RuleElement) -> Result<Self> {
+    fn try_from(value: RuleElement) -> std::result::Result<Self, Self::Error> {
         match value {
-            RuleElement::Allow => Ok(Some(Rule::Allow)),
-            RuleElement::Deny => Ok(Some(Rule::Deny)),
+            RuleElement::Allow(attrs) => match OptionalOperation::try_from(attrs)? {
+                Some(some) => Ok(Some((Access::Allow, some))),
+                None => Ok(None),
+            },
+            RuleElement::Deny(attrs) => match OptionalOperation::try_from(attrs)? {
+                Some(some) => Ok(Some((Access::Deny, some))),
+                None => Ok(None),
+            },
         }
     }
 }
@@ -408,17 +461,29 @@ fn rules_try_from_rule_elements(value: Vec<RuleElement>) -> Result<Vec<Rule>> {
     Ok(rules)
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
-pub enum Rule {
-    Allow,
-    Deny,
+pub type Rule = (Access, Operation);
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+struct RuleAttributes {
+    #[serde(rename = "@eavesdrop")]
+    eavesdrop: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@group")]
+    group: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@own")]
+    own: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@receive_sender")]
+    receive_sender: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_destination")]
+    send_destination: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@user")]
+    user: Option<String>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
 enum RuleElement {
-    Allow,
-    Deny,
+    Allow(RuleAttributes),
+    Deny(RuleAttributes),
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
@@ -620,16 +685,59 @@ mod tests {
             busconfig,
             BusConfig {
                 policies: vec![
-                    Policy::DefaultContext(vec![Rule::Allow, Rule::Allow, Rule::Allow,]),
-                    Policy::User(vec![Rule::Allow,], String::from("root")),
-                    Policy::Group(vec![Rule::Allow, Rule::Allow,], String::from("network")),
-                    Policy::MandatoryContext(vec![Rule::Deny]),
+                    Policy::DefaultContext(vec![
+                        (Access::Allow, Operation::Send),
+                        (Access::Allow, Operation::Receive),
+                        (Access::Allow, Operation::Own),
+                    ]),
+                    Policy::User(
+                        vec![(Access::Allow, Operation::Send),],
+                        String::from("root")
+                    ),
+                    Policy::Group(
+                        vec![
+                            (Access::Allow, Operation::Send),
+                            (Access::Allow, Operation::Receive),
+                        ],
+                        String::from("network")
+                    ),
+                    Policy::MandatoryContext(vec![(Access::Deny, Operation::Send),]),
                 ],
                 ..Default::default()
             }
         );
     }
 
+    #[should_panic]
+    #[test]
+    fn bus_config_parse_with_policies_with_send_and_receive_attributes_error() {
+        let input = r#"<!DOCTYPE busconfig PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD D-Bus Bus Configuration 1.0//EN"
+        "http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/dbus/1.0/busconfig.dtd">
+        <busconfig>
+            <policy user="root">
+                <allow send_destination="org.freedesktop.DBus" receive_sender="org.freedesktop.Avahi" />
+            </policy>
+        </busconfig>
+        "#;
+
+        BusConfig::parse(input).expect("should parse XML input");
+    }
+
+    #[should_panic]
+    #[test]
+    fn bus_config_parse_with_policies_without_attributes_error() {
+        let input = r#"<!DOCTYPE busconfig PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD D-Bus Bus Configuration 1.0//EN"
+        "http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/dbus/1.0/busconfig.dtd">
+        <busconfig>
+            <policy user="root">
+                <allow />
+            </policy>
+        </busconfig>
+        "#;
+
+        BusConfig::parse(input).expect("should parse XML input");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn bus_config_parse_with_servicedir_and_standard_session_servicedirs_ok() {
         let input = r#"<!DOCTYPE busconfig PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD D-Bus Bus Configuration 1.0//EN"