This paper describes the peristaltic motion of a non-Newtonian fluid in a channel having compliant boundaries. Constitutive equations for a Maxwell fluid have been used. Perturbation method has been used for the analytic solution. The influence of pertinent parameters is analyzed. Comparison of the present analysis of Maxwell fluid is made with the existing results of viscous fluid. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.