The authors re-examine the partial skeleton of the enigmatic small feathered theropod Yixianosaurus longimanus from the Lower Yixian Formation, China. A phylogenetic analysis recovers Yixianosaurus as a basal maniraptoran, in a polytomy with Alvarezsaurus, Therizinosauria, Alvarezsauroidea excluding Alvarezsaurus, and a well-resolved clade of derived maniraptorans including Oviraptorosauria and Paraves.