diff --git a/src/Util/XML.php b/src/Util/XML.php
index 176204b9048..f070d221af1 100644
--- a/src/Util/XML.php
+++ b/src/Util/XML.php
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ public static function load($actual, $isHtml = false, $filename = '', $xinclude
             return $actual;
         }
 
+        if (!is_string($actual)) {
+            throw new PHPUnit_Framework_Exception('Could not load XML from ' . gettype($actual));
+        }
+
+        if ($actual === '') {
+            throw new PHPUnit_Framework_Exception('Could not load XML from empty string');
+        }
+
         // Required for XInclude on Windows.
         if ($xinclude) {
             $cwd = getcwd();
@@ -149,6 +157,9 @@ public static function load($actual, $isHtml = false, $filename = '', $xinclude
                     )
                 );
             } else {
+                if ($message === '') {
+                    $message = 'Could not load XML for unknown reason';
+                }
                 throw new PHPUnit_Framework_Exception($message);
             }
         }
diff --git a/tests/Util/XMLTest.php b/tests/Util/XMLTest.php
index 086b738c1a7..c958771cba1 100644
--- a/tests/Util/XMLTest.php
+++ b/tests/Util/XMLTest.php
@@ -315,4 +315,31 @@ public function charProvider()
 
         return $data;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException PHPUnit_Framework_Exception
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage Could not load XML from empty string
+     */
+    public function testLoadEmptyString()
+    {
+        PHPUnit_Util_XML::load('');
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException PHPUnit_Framework_Exception
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage Could not load XML from array
+     */
+    public function testLoadArray()
+    {
+        PHPUnit_Util_XML::load(array(1, 2, 3));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException PHPUnit_Framework_Exception
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage Could not load XML from boolean
+     */
+    public function testLoadBoolean()
+    {
+        PHPUnit_Util_XML::load(false);
+    }
 }