diff --git a/xmlhandler/tree.lua b/xmlhandler/tree.lua
index 9476d38..73130c4 100755
--- a/xmlhandler/tree.lua
+++ b/xmlhandler/tree.lua
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ function tree:reduce(node, key, parent)
         end
     end
     if #node == 1 and not self.options.noreduce[key] and 
-        node._attr == nil then
+            node._attr == nil and type(parent) == "table" then
         parent[key] = node[1]
     end
 end