diff --git a/src/io.jl b/src/io.jl
index 5ad0f36..0358e68 100644
--- a/src/io.jl
+++ b/src/io.jl
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ function get_child(x::XMLElement, child_name::String)
     m[2] == "end" && return childs[end]
     m2 = match(r"@(.+)=(.+)", m[2])
     m2 == nothing && throw("Unable to parse: $(m[2])")
-    attr_name = m2[1]
-    attr_value = m2[2]
+    attr_name = convert(String, m2[1])
+    attr_value = convert(String, m2[2])
     for child in childs
         has_attribute(child, attr_name) || continue
         if get_attribute(child, attr_name) == attr_value
diff --git a/test/test_io.jl b/test/test_io.jl
index a997cac..69da349 100644
--- a/test/test_io.jl
+++ b/test/test_io.jl
@@ -31,12 +31,17 @@ end
     grid["GridType"] = "Collection"
 
     frame1 = new_child(grid, "Grid")
-    new_child(frame1, "Time", "Value" => 0.0)
-    X1 = new_child(frame1, "Geometry", Dict("Type" => "XY"))
+    time1 = new_child(frame1, "Time")
+    set_attributes(time1, Dict("Value" => 0.0))
+    X1 = new_child(frame1, "Geometry")
+    set_attributes(X1, Dict("Type" => "XY"))
 
-    frame2 = new_child(grid, "Grid", "Name" => "Frame 2")
-    new_child(frame2, "Time", "Value" => 1.0)
-    X2 = new_child(frame2, "Geometry", "Type" => "XY")
+    frame2 = new_child(grid, "Grid")
+    set_attributes(frame2, Dict("Name" => "Frame 2"))
+    time2 = new_child(frame2, "Time")
+    set_attributes(time2, Dict("Value" => 1.0))
+    X2 = new_child(frame2, "Geometry")
+    set_attributes(X2, Dict("Type" => "XY"))
 
     add_child(grid, frame1)
     add_child(grid, frame2)
@@ -55,6 +60,9 @@ end
     @test isapprox(read(xdmf, "/Domain/Grid/Grid[2]/Geometry/DataItem"), [1.0, 2.0])
 end
 
+
+#=
+
 @testset "higher level xdmf" begin
     e1 = Element(Quad4, 1, [1, 2, 3, 4])
     e2 = Element(Quad4, 2, [5, 6, 7, 8])
@@ -98,8 +106,6 @@ end
     update!(e4, "master elements", [e3])
 end
 
-#=
-
 @testset "save results to disk, linear solver" begin
     X = Dict{Int, Vector{Float64}}(
         1 => [0.0,0.0],