diff --git a/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java b/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java
index 4ca70ed28..f6300f9bf 100644
--- a/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java
+++ b/core/src/processing/core/PApplet.java
@@ -5922,12 +5922,11 @@ public class PApplet implements PConstants {
    */
   public XML loadXML(String filename, String options) {
     try {
-      BufferedReader br = createReader(filename);
-      if (br != null) {
-        return new XML(br, options);
-      } else {
-        br = null;
+      BufferedReader reader = createReader(filename);
+      if (reader != null) {
+        return new XML(reader, options);
       }
+      return null;
 
       // can't use catch-all exception, since it might catch the
       // RuntimeException about the incorrect case sensitivity