diff --git a/src/ol/format/kmlformat.js b/src/ol/format/kmlformat.js
index fa0ca3ba7d..2b5548ad7f 100644
--- a/src/ol/format/kmlformat.js
+++ b/src/ol/format/kmlformat.js
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ goog.require('goog.Uri');
 goog.require('goog.array');
 goog.require('goog.asserts');
 goog.require('goog.dom.NodeType');
-goog.require('goog.dom.xml');
 goog.require('goog.math');
 goog.require('goog.object');
 goog.require('goog.string');
@@ -372,10 +371,10 @@ ol.format.KML.readFlatCoordinates_ = function(node) {
  */
 ol.format.KML.readStyleUrl_ = function(node) {
   var s = goog.string.trim(ol.xml.getAllTextContent(node, false));
-  if (goog.isNull(node.baseURI)) {
-    return s;
-  } else {
+  if (goog.isDefAndNotNull(node.baseURI)) {
     return goog.Uri.resolve(node.baseURI, s).toString();
+  } else {
+    return s;
   }
 
 };
@@ -388,10 +387,10 @@ ol.format.KML.readStyleUrl_ = function(node) {
  */
 ol.format.KML.readURI_ = function(node) {
   var s = ol.xml.getAllTextContent(node, false);
-  if (goog.isNull(node.baseURI)) {
-    return goog.string.trim(s);
-  } else {
+  if (goog.isDefAndNotNull(node.baseURI)) {
     return goog.Uri.resolve(node.baseURI, goog.string.trim(s)).toString();
+  } else {
+    return goog.string.trim(s);
   }
 };
 
@@ -1396,8 +1395,8 @@ ol.format.KML.prototype.getExtensions = function() {
  */
 ol.format.KML.prototype.readDocumentOrFolder_ = function(node, objectStack) {
   goog.asserts.assert(node.nodeType == goog.dom.NodeType.ELEMENT);
-  goog.asserts.assert(node.localName == 'Document' ||
-                      node.localName == 'Folder');
+  var localName = ol.xml.getLocalName(node);
+  goog.asserts.assert(localName == 'Document' || localName == 'Folder');
   // FIXME use scope somehow
   var parsersNS = ol.xml.makeParsersNS(
       ol.format.KML.NAMESPACE_URIS_, {
@@ -1466,8 +1465,13 @@ ol.format.KML.prototype.readSharedStyle_ = function(node, objectStack) {
   if (!goog.isNull(id)) {
     var style = ol.format.KML.readStyle_(node, objectStack);
     if (goog.isDef(style)) {
-      var baseURI = goog.isNull(node.baseURI) ? '' : node.baseURI;
-      this.sharedStyles_[baseURI + '#' + id] = [style];
+      var styleUri;
+      if (goog.isDefAndNotNull(node.baseURI)) {
+        styleUri = goog.Uri.resolve(node.baseURI, '#' + id).toString();
+      } else {
+        styleUri = '#' + id;
+      }
+      this.sharedStyles_[styleUri] = [style];
     }
   }
 };
@@ -1488,23 +1492,28 @@ ol.format.KML.prototype.readSharedStyleMap_ = function(node, objectStack) {
     if (!goog.isDef(styleObject)) {
       return;
     }
-    var baseURI = goog.isNull(node.baseURI) ? '' : node.baseURI;
     var style = /** @type {ol.style.Style} */
         (goog.object.get(styleObject, 'style', null));
+    var styleUri;
+    if (goog.isDefAndNotNull(node.baseURI)) {
+      styleUri = goog.Uri.resolve(node.baseURI, '#' + id).toString();
+    } else {
+      styleUri = '#' + id;
+    }
     if (!goog.isNull(style)) {
-      this.sharedStyles_[baseURI + '#' + id] = [style];
+      this.sharedStyles_[styleUri] = [style];
     }
     var styleUrl = /** @type {string|undefined} */
         (goog.object.get(styleObject, 'styleUrl'));
     if (goog.isDef(styleUrl)) {
-      var styleUri;
-      if (goog.isNull(node.baseURI)) {
-        styleUri = '#' + goog.string.trim(styleUrl);
+      var styleUrlUri;
+      if (goog.isDefAndNotNull(node.baseURI)) {
+        styleUrlUri = goog.Uri.resolve(node.baseURI, styleUrl).toString();
       } else {
-        styleUri = goog.Uri.resolve(baseURI, styleUrl).toString();
+        styleUrlUri = '#' + goog.string.trim(styleUrl).replace(/^#/, '');
       }
-      goog.asserts.assert(styleUri in this.sharedStyles_);
-      this.sharedStyles_[baseURI + '#' + id] = this.sharedStyles_[styleUri];
+      goog.asserts.assert(styleUrlUri in this.sharedStyles_);
+      this.sharedStyles_[styleUri] = this.sharedStyles_[styleUrlUri];
     }
   }
 };
@@ -1539,21 +1548,22 @@ ol.format.KML.prototype.readFeaturesFromNode = function(node) {
     return [];
   }
   var features;
-  if (node.localName == 'Document' || node.localName == 'Folder') {
+  var localName = ol.xml.getLocalName(node);
+  if (localName == 'Document' || localName == 'Folder') {
     features = this.readDocumentOrFolder_(node, []);
     if (goog.isDef(features)) {
       return features;
     } else {
       return [];
     }
-  } else if (node.localName == 'Placemark') {
+  } else if (localName == 'Placemark') {
     var feature = this.readPlacemark_(node, []);
     if (goog.isDef(feature)) {
       return [feature];
     } else {
       return [];
     }
-  } else if (node.localName == 'kml') {
+  } else if (localName == 'kml') {
     features = [];
     var n;
     for (n = node.firstElementChild; !goog.isNull(n);
@@ -1576,12 +1586,12 @@ ol.format.KML.prototype.readFeaturesFromNode = function(node) {
  * @todo stability experimental
  */
 ol.format.KML.prototype.readName = function(source) {
-  if (source instanceof Document) {
-    return this.readNameFromDocument(source);
-  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
-    return this.readNameFromNode(source);
+  if (ol.xml.isDocument(source)) {
+    return this.readNameFromDocument(/** @type {Document} */ (source));
+  } else if (ol.xml.isNode(source)) {
+    return this.readNameFromNode(/** @type {Node} */ (source));
   } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
-    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    var doc = ol.xml.load(source);
     return this.readNameFromDocument(doc);
   } else {
     goog.asserts.fail();
@@ -1622,12 +1632,13 @@ ol.format.KML.prototype.readNameFromNode = function(node) {
     }
   }
   for (n = node.firstElementChild; !goog.isNull(n); n = n.nextElementSibling) {
+    var localName = ol.xml.getLocalName(n);
     if (goog.array.indexOf(ol.format.KML.NAMESPACE_URIS_,
                            n.namespaceURI) != -1 &&
-        (n.localName == 'Document' ||
-         n.localName == 'Folder' ||
-         n.localName == 'Placemark' ||
-         n.localName == 'kml')) {
+        (localName == 'Document' ||
+         localName == 'Folder' ||
+         localName == 'Placemark' ||
+         localName == 'kml')) {
       var name = this.readNameFromNode(n);
       if (goog.isDef(name)) {
         return name;
diff --git a/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js b/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
index 0025cbd452..7e0dc19ec1 100644
--- a/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
+++ b/src/ol/format/xmlformat.js
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ goog.provide('ol.format.XML');
 goog.require('goog.array');
 goog.require('goog.asserts');
 goog.require('goog.dom.NodeType');
-goog.require('goog.dom.xml');
 goog.require('ol.format.Format');
 goog.require('ol.format.FormatType');
+goog.require('ol.xml');
 
 
 
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.getType = function() {
  * @inheritDoc
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeature = function(source) {
-  if (source instanceof Document) {
-    return this.readFeatureFromDocument(source);
-  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
-    return this.readFeatureFromNode(source);
+  if (ol.xml.isDocument(source)) {
+    return this.readFeatureFromDocument(/** @type {Document} */ (source));
+  } else if (ol.xml.isNode(source)) {
+    return this.readFeatureFromNode(/** @type {Node} */ (source));
   } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
-    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    var doc = ol.xml.load(source);
     return this.readFeatureFromDocument(doc);
   } else {
     goog.asserts.fail();
@@ -70,12 +70,12 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeatureFromNode = goog.abstractMethod;
  * @inheritDoc
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeatures = function(source) {
-  if (source instanceof Document) {
-    return this.readFeaturesFromDocument(source);
-  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
-    return this.readFeaturesFromNode(source);
+  if (ol.xml.isDocument(source)) {
+    return this.readFeaturesFromDocument(/** @type {Document} */ (source));
+  } else if (ol.xml.isNode(source)) {
+    return this.readFeaturesFromNode(/** @type {Node} */ (source));
   } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
-    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    var doc = ol.xml.load(source);
     return this.readFeaturesFromDocument(doc);
   } else {
     goog.asserts.fail();
@@ -114,12 +114,12 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.readFeaturesFromNode = goog.abstractMethod;
  * @inheritDoc
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readGeometry = function(source) {
-  if (source instanceof Document) {
-    return this.readGeometryFromDocument(source);
-  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
-    return this.readGeometryFromNode(source);
+  if (ol.xml.isDocument(source)) {
+    return this.readGeometryFromDocument(/** @type {Document} */ (source));
+  } else if (ol.xml.isNode(source)) {
+    return this.readGeometryFromNode(/** @type {Node} */ (source));
   } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
-    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    var doc = ol.xml.load(source);
     return this.readGeometryFromDocument(doc);
   } else {
     goog.asserts.fail();
@@ -148,12 +148,12 @@ ol.format.XML.prototype.readGeometryFromNode = goog.abstractMethod;
  * @inheritDoc
  */
 ol.format.XML.prototype.readProjection = function(source) {
-  if (source instanceof Document) {
-    return this.readProjectionFromDocument(source);
-  } else if (source instanceof Node) {
-    return this.readProjectionFromNode(source);
+  if (ol.xml.isDocument(source)) {
+    return this.readProjectionFromDocument(/** @type {Document} */ (source));
+  } else if (ol.xml.isNode(source)) {
+    return this.readProjectionFromNode(/** @type {Node} */ (source));
   } else if (goog.isString(source)) {
-    var doc = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(source);
+    var doc = ol.xml.load(source);
     return this.readProjectionFromDocument(doc);
   } else {
     goog.asserts.fail();
diff --git a/src/ol/source/vectorfilesource.js b/src/ol/source/vectorfilesource.js
index 88009052f0..c2fd85339a 100644
--- a/src/ol/source/vectorfilesource.js
+++ b/src/ol/source/vectorfilesource.js
@@ -4,12 +4,13 @@
 goog.provide('ol.source.VectorFile');
 
 goog.require('goog.asserts');
-goog.require('goog.dom.xml');
 goog.require('goog.net.XhrIo');
+goog.require('goog.userAgent');
 goog.require('ol.format.FormatType');
 goog.require('ol.proj');
 goog.require('ol.source.State');
 goog.require('ol.source.Vector');
+goog.require('ol.xml');
 
 
 
@@ -88,9 +89,11 @@ ol.source.VectorFile.prototype.handleXhrIo_ = function(event) {
     } else if (type == ol.format.FormatType.TEXT) {
       source = xhrIo.getResponseText();
     } else if (type == ol.format.FormatType.XML) {
-      source = xhrIo.getResponseXml();
-      if (goog.isNull(source)) {
-        source = goog.dom.xml.loadXml(xhrIo.getResponseText());
+      if (!goog.userAgent.IE) {
+        source = xhrIo.getResponseXml();
+      }
+      if (!goog.isDefAndNotNull(source)) {
+        source = ol.xml.load(xhrIo.getResponseText());
       }
     } else {
       goog.asserts.fail();
diff --git a/src/ol/xml.js b/src/ol/xml.js
index e491d16454..c21e526ea6 100644
--- a/src/ol/xml.js
+++ b/src/ol/xml.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ goog.require('goog.array');
 goog.require('goog.asserts');
 goog.require('goog.dom.NodeType');
 goog.require('goog.object');
+goog.require('goog.userAgent');
 
 
 /**
@@ -48,6 +49,104 @@ ol.xml.getAllTextContent_ = function(node, normalizeWhitespace, accumulator) {
 };
 
 
+/**
+ * @param {Node} node Node.
+ * @private
+ * @return {string} Local name.
+ */
+ol.xml.getLocalName_ = function(node) {
+  return node.localName;
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {Node} node Node.
+ * @private
+ * @return {string} Local name.
+ */
+ol.xml.getLocalNameIE_ = function(node) {
+  var localName = node.localName;
+  if (goog.isDef(localName)) {
+    return localName;
+  }
+  var baseName = node.baseName;
+  goog.asserts.assert(goog.isDefAndNotNull(baseName));
+  return baseName;
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {Node} node Node.
+ * @return {string} Local name.
+ */
+ol.xml.getLocalName = goog.userAgent.IE ?
+    ol.xml.getLocalNameIE_ : ol.xml.getLocalName_;
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {?} value Value.
+ * @private
+ * @return {boolean} Is document.
+ */
+ol.xml.isDocument_ = function(value) {
+  return value instanceof Document;
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {?} value Value.
+ * @private
+ * @return {boolean} Is document.
+ */
+ol.xml.isDocumentIE_ = function(value) {
+  return goog.isObject(value) && value.nodeType == goog.dom.NodeType.DOCUMENT;
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {?} value Value.
+ * @return {boolean} Is document.
+ */
+ol.xml.isDocument = goog.userAgent.IE ?
+    ol.xml.isDocumentIE_ : ol.xml.isDocument_;
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {?} value Value.
+ * @private
+ * @return {boolean} Is node.
+ */
+ol.xml.isNode_ = function(value) {
+  return value instanceof Node;
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {?} value Value.
+ * @private
+ * @return {boolean} Is node.
+ */
+ol.xml.isNodeIE_ = function(value) {
+  return goog.isObject(value) && goog.isDef(value.nodeType);
+};
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {?} value Value.
+ * @return {boolean} Is node.
+ */
+ol.xml.isNode = goog.userAgent.IE ? ol.xml.isNodeIE_ : ol.xml.isNode_;
+
+
+/**
+ * @param {string} xml XML.
+ * @return {Document} Document.
+ */
+ol.xml.load = function(xml) {
+  return new DOMParser().parseFromString(xml, 'application/xml');
+};
+
+
 /**
  * @param {function(this: T, Node, Array.<*>): (Array.<*>|undefined)}
  *     valueReader Value reader.
diff --git a/test/spec/ol/format/kmlformat.test.js b/test/spec/ol/format/kmlformat.test.js
index 67f7e7c92c..3fb57ec856 100644
--- a/test/spec/ol/format/kmlformat.test.js
+++ b/test/spec/ol/format/kmlformat.test.js
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ describe('ol.format.KML', function() {
         expect(s.getFill().getColor()).to.eql([0, 0, 0, 0]);
       });
 
-      it('can read a normal styleUrls', function() {
+      it('can read normal styleUrls', function() {
         var text =
             '<kml xmlns="http://earth.google.com/kml/2.2">' +
             '  <Document>' +
@@ -1398,7 +1398,7 @@ describe('ol.format.KML', function() {
 
     var features;
     before(function(done) {
-      afterLoadXml('spec/ol/format/kml/states.kml', function(xml) {
+      afterLoadText('spec/ol/format/kml/states.kml', function(xml) {
         try {
           features = format.readFeatures(xml);
         } catch (e) {
@@ -1444,7 +1444,7 @@ describe('ol.format.KML', function() {
           '    <Folder>' +
           '     <Placemark/>' +
           '    </Folder>' +
-          '  <Document>' +
+          '  </Document>' +
           '</kml>';
       expect(format.readName(kml)).to.be(undefined);
     });
diff --git a/test/test-extensions.js b/test/test-extensions.js
index 1aad4c89cb..156f307752 100644
--- a/test/test-extensions.js
+++ b/test/test-extensions.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// FIXME remove afterLoadXml as it uses the wrong XML parser on IE9
+
 // helper functions for async testing
 (function(global) {