diff --git a/XMLSchema.py b/XMLSchema.py
index 52d58f4..1d953d9 100755
--- a/XMLSchema.py
+++ b/XMLSchema.py
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ class DOMAdapter(DOMAdapterInterface):
     def loadDocument(self, file):
         self.__node = DOM.loadDocument(file)
         if hasattr(self.__node, 'documentElement'):
-            self.__node = node.documentElement
+            self.__node = self.__node.documentElement
 
     def loadFromURL(self, url):
         self.__node = DOM.loadFromURL(url)