diff --git a/src/ParaTest/Runners/PHPUnit/Configuration.php b/src/ParaTest/Runners/PHPUnit/Configuration.php
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/ParaTest/Runners/PHPUnit/Configuration.php
+++ b/src/ParaTest/Runners/PHPUnit/Configuration.php
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ class Configuration
      */
     public function getBootstrap()
     {
-        return (string)$this->xml->attributes()->bootstrap;
+		if($this->xml)
+			return (string)$this->xml->attributes()->bootstrap;
+		else
+			return '';
     }
 
     public function getPath()
getBootstrap now ensures that the configuration XML has been loaded before attempting to access it.