diff --git a/app/code/community/Lesti/Fpc/Model/Observer.php b/app/code/community/Lesti/Fpc/Model/Observer.php
index cbb0ba1..c9b75b5 100755
--- a/app/code/community/Lesti/Fpc/Model/Observer.php
+++ b/app/code/community/Lesti/Fpc/Model/Observer.php
@@ -212,10 +212,13 @@ protected function _prepareLayout(
         array $dynamicBlocks
     )
     {
-        $xml = simplexml_load_string(
-            $layout->getXmlString(),
-            Lesti_Fpc_Helper_Data::LAYOUT_ELEMENT_CLASS
-        );
+        $xml = $layout->getNode();
+        if (!is_a($xml, Lesti_Fpc_Helper_Data::LAYOUT_ELEMENT_CLASS)) {
+            $xml = simplexml_load_string(
+                $layout->getXmlString(),
+                Lesti_Fpc_Helper_Data::LAYOUT_ELEMENT_CLASS
+            );
+        }
         $cleanXml = simplexml_load_string(
             '<layout/>',
             Lesti_Fpc_Helper_Data::LAYOUT_ELEMENT_CLASS