diff --git a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Layout/Merge.php b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Layout/Merge.php
index 3bd70c94b2ce9..2ba4e5819afc6 100644
--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Layout/Merge.php
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Layout/Merge.php
@@ -639,7 +639,9 @@ protected function _loadFileLayoutUpdatesXml()
             $fileStr = str_replace($this->_subst['from'], $this->_subst['to'], $fileStr);
             /** @var $fileXml Mage_Core_Model_Layout_Element */
             $fileXml = simplexml_load_string($fileStr, $this->_elementClass);
-            $layoutStr .= $fileXml->innerXml();
+            if ($fileXml){
+                $layoutStr .= $fileXml->innerXml();
+            }
         }
         $layoutStr = '<layouts>' . $layoutStr . '</layouts>';
         $layoutXml = simplexml_load_string($layoutStr, $this->_elementClass);