diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GML.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GML.js
index 50d0069786..81776bbfcb 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GML.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GML.js
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.GML = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.Vector, {
     requestSuccess:function(request) {
         var doc = request.responseXML;
         
-        if (!doc) {
+        if (!doc || !doc.documentElement) {
             doc = request.responseText;
         }
         
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GeoRSS.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GeoRSS.js
index d1421ae65c..8b12a62265 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GeoRSS.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Layer/GeoRSS.js
@@ -131,8 +131,8 @@ OpenLayers.Layer.GeoRSS = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Layer.Markers, {
      */
     parseData: function(ajaxRequest) {
         var doc = ajaxRequest.responseXML;
-        if (!doc) {
-            doc = OpenLayers.parseXMLString(ajaxRequest.responseText);
+        if (!doc || !doc.documentElement) {
+            doc = OpenLayers.Format.XML.prototype.read(ajaxRequest.responseText);
         }
         
         if (this.useFeedTitle) {
diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/WFS.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/WFS.js
index c2288476ff..06345c29e7 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/WFS.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Tile/WFS.js
@@ -127,9 +127,8 @@ OpenLayers.Tile.WFS = OpenLayers.Class(OpenLayers.Tile, {
     requestSuccess:function(request) {
         if (this.features) {
             var doc = request.responseXML;
-            
-            if (!doc) {
-                doc = OpenLayers.parseXMLString(request.responseText);
+            if (!doc || !doc.documentElement) {
+                doc = OpenLayers.Format.XML.prototype.read(request.responseText);
             }
             if (this.layer.vectorMode) {
                 this.layer.addFeatures(this.layer.formatObject.read(doc));