diff --git a/Utility.py b/Utility.py
index 46860aa..84e42f6 100755
--- a/Utility.py
+++ b/Utility.py
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ class RecursionError(Exception):
     """Used to indicate a HTTP redirect recursion."""
     pass
 
+class ParseError(Exception):
+    """Used to indicate a XML parsing error."""
+
 class HTTPResponse:
     """Captures the information in an HTTP response message."""
 
@@ -574,8 +577,13 @@ class DOM:
     def loadFromURL(self, url):
         """Load an xml file from a URL and return a DOM document."""
         file = urlopen(url)
-        try:     result = self.loadDocument(file)
-        finally: file.close()
+        try:     
+            result = self.loadDocument(file)
+        except Exception, ex:
+            file.close()
+            raise ParseError(('Failed to load document %s' %url,) + ex.args)
+        else:
+            file.close()
         return result
 
 
diff --git a/XMLSchema.py b/XMLSchema.py
index 8402c78..6377d50 100755
--- a/XMLSchema.py
+++ b/XMLSchema.py
@@ -1468,7 +1468,7 @@ class AttributeGroupDefinition(XMLSchemaComponent,\
                 self.annotation.fromDom(contents[indx])
             elif component == 'attribute':
                 if contents[indx].hasattr('name'):
-                    content.append(AttributeDeclaration(self))
+                    content.append(LocalAttributeDeclaration(self))
                 elif contents[indx].hasattr('ref'):
                     content.append(AttributeReference(self))
                 else: