diff --git a/include/cantera/base/xml.h b/include/cantera/base/xml.h
index b28918067..e8a8ae61c 100644
--- a/include/cantera/base/xml.h
+++ b/include/cantera/base/xml.h
@@ -569,6 +569,9 @@ public:
      */
     void setRoot(const XML_Node& root);
 
+    //! Populate the XML tree from an input file
+    void build(const std::string& filename);
+
     //! Main routine to create an tree-like representation of an XML file
     /*!
      * Given an input stream, this routine will read matched XML tags
diff --git a/src/base/application.cpp b/src/base/application.cpp
index bdf75f2f0..bf4acd061 100644
--- a/src/base/application.cpp
+++ b/src/base/application.cpp
@@ -222,14 +222,7 @@ XML_Node* Application::get_XML_File(const std::string& file, int debug)
         std::stringstream phase_xml(ct2ctml_string(path));
         x->build(phase_xml);
     } else {
-        std::ifstream s(path.c_str());
-        if (s) {
-            x->build(s);
-        } else {
-            throw CanteraError("get_XML_File",
-                "cannot open "+file+" for reading.\n"
-                "Note, this error indicates a possible configuration problem.");
-        }
+        x->build(path);
     }
     x->lock();
     xmlfiles[path] = {x, mtime};
diff --git a/src/base/xml.cpp b/src/base/xml.cpp
index cb35051dc..69af51a4f 100644
--- a/src/base/xml.cpp
+++ b/src/base/xml.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "cantera/base/utilities.h"
 
 #include <sstream>
+#include <fstream>
 
 using namespace std;
 
@@ -716,6 +717,16 @@ void XML_Node::writeHeader(std::ostream& s)
     s << "<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>" << endl;
 }
 
+void XML_Node::build(const std::string& filename)
+{
+    ifstream fin(filename);
+    if (!fin) {
+        throw CanteraError("XML_Node::build",
+            "Unable to open file '{}' for reading.", filename);
+    }
+    build(fin);
+}
+
 void XML_Node::build(std::istream& f)
 {
     XML_Reader r(f);
diff --git a/src/oneD/Sim1D.cpp b/src/oneD/Sim1D.cpp
index 7639087e9..8eaae6fcd 100644
--- a/src/oneD/Sim1D.cpp
+++ b/src/oneD/Sim1D.cpp
@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@
 #include "cantera/numerics/funcs.h"
 #include "cantera/base/xml.h"
 
-#include <fstream>
-
 using namespace std;
 
 namespace Cantera
@@ -105,15 +103,8 @@ void Sim1D::saveResidual(const std::string& fname, const std::string& id,
 void Sim1D::restore(const std::string& fname, const std::string& id,
                     int loglevel)
 {
-    ifstream s(fname);
-    if (!s) {
-        throw CanteraError("Sim1D::restore",
-                           "could not open input file "+fname);
-    }
-
     XML_Node root;
-    root.build(s);
-    s.close();
+    root.build(fname);
 
     XML_Node* f = root.findID(id);
     if (!f) {
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
index 17af4ff03..b49d518ac 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
 #include "cantera/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.h"
 #include "cantera/thermo/VPStandardStateTP.h"
 
-#include <fstream>
-
 using namespace std;
 
 namespace Cantera
@@ -101,17 +99,11 @@ void PDSS_ConstVol::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_ConstVol::initThermo",
                            "input file is null");
     }
-    std::string path = findInputFile(inputFile);
-    ifstream fin(path);
-    if (!fin) {
-        throw CanteraError("PDSS_ConstVol::initThermo","could not open "
-                           +path+" for reading.");
-    }
 
     // The phase object automatically constructs an XML object. Use this object
     // to store information.
     XML_Node fxml;
-    fxml.build(fin);
+    fxml.build(findInputFile(inputFile));
     XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_ConstVol::initThermo",
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
index 96bf99cd7..fb233eabd 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 #include "cantera/thermo/VPStandardStateTP.h"
 #include "cantera/base/stringUtils.h"
 
-#include <fstream>
-
 using namespace std;
 
 namespace Cantera
@@ -607,17 +605,11 @@ void PDSS_HKFT::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_HKFT::initThermo",
                            "input file is null");
     }
-    std::string path = findInputFile(inputFile);
-    ifstream fin(path);
-    if (!fin) {
-        throw CanteraError("PDSS_HKFT::initThermo","could not open "
-                           +path+" for reading.");
-    }
 
     // The phase object automatically constructs an XML object. Use this object
     // to store information.
     XML_Node fxml;
-    fxml.build(fin);
+    fxml.build(findInputFile(inputFile));
     XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_HKFT::initThermo",
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
index db73d967e..ee45acc0c 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
 #include "cantera/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.h"
 #include "cantera/thermo/VPStandardStateTP.h"
 
-#include <fstream>
-
 using namespace std;
 
 namespace Cantera
@@ -82,17 +80,11 @@ void PDSS_IdealGas::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_IdealGas::constructPDSSFile",
                            "input file is null");
     }
-    std::string path = findInputFile(inputFile);
-    ifstream fin(path);
-    if (!fin) {
-        throw CanteraError("PDSS_IdealGas::constructPDSSFile","could not open "
-                           +path+" for reading.");
-    }
 
     // The phase object automatically constructs an XML object. Use this object
     // to store information.
     XML_Node fxml;
-    fxml.build(fin);
+    fxml.build(findInputFile(inputFile));
     XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_IdealGas::constructPDSSFile",
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_IonsFromNeutral.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_IonsFromNeutral.cpp
index f2449b593..5b5b45b51 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_IonsFromNeutral.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_IonsFromNeutral.cpp
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
 #include "cantera/base/stringUtils.h"
 #include "cantera/base/ctml.h"
 
-#include <fstream>
-
 using namespace std;
 
 namespace Cantera
@@ -168,17 +166,11 @@ void PDSS_IonsFromNeutral::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spind
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_IonsFromNeutral::constructPDSSFile",
                            "input file is null");
     }
-    std::string path = findInputFile(inputFile);
-    ifstream fin(path);
-    if (!fin) {
-        throw CanteraError("PDSS_IonsFromNeutral::constructPDSSFile","could not open "
-                           +path+" for reading.");
-    }
 
     // The phase object automatically constructs an XML object. Use this object
     // to store information.
     XML_Node fxml;
-    fxml.build(fin);
+    fxml.build(findInputFile(inputFile));
     XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_IonsFromNeutral::constructPDSSFile",
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.cpp
index 72572f6c4..5c00cc864 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.cpp
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
 #include "cantera/thermo/PDSS_SSVol.h"
 #include "cantera/thermo/VPStandardStateTP.h"
 
-#include <fstream>
-
 using namespace std;
 
 namespace Cantera
@@ -129,17 +127,11 @@ void PDSS_SSVol::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, size_t spindex,
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_SSVol::initThermo",
                            "input file is null");
     }
-    std::string path = findInputFile(inputFile);
-    ifstream fin(path);
-    if (!fin) {
-        throw CanteraError("PDSS_SSVol::initThermo","could not open "
-                           +path+" for reading.");
-    }
 
     // The phase object automatically constructs an XML object. Use this object
     // to store information.
     XML_Node fxml;
-    fxml.build(fin);
+    fxml.build(findInputFile(inputFile));
     XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_SSVol::initThermo",
diff --git a/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.cpp b/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.cpp
index d1b57b339..fcc200eec 100644
--- a/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.cpp
@@ -11,8 +11,6 @@
 #include "cantera/thermo/WaterPropsIAPWS.h"
 #include "cantera/base/stringUtils.h"
 
-#include <fstream>
-
 namespace Cantera
 {
 PDSS_Water::PDSS_Water() :
@@ -144,17 +142,11 @@ void PDSS_Water::constructPDSSFile(VPStandardStateTP* tp, int spindex,
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_Water::constructPDSSFile",
                            "input file is null");
     }
-    std::string path = findInputFile(inputFile);
-    std::ifstream fin(path);
-    if (!fin) {
-        throw CanteraError("PDSS_Water::initThermo","could not open "
-                           +path+" for reading.");
-    }
 
     // The phase object automatically constructs an XML object. Use this object
     // to store information.
     XML_Node fxml;
-    fxml.build(fin);
+    fxml.build(findInputFile(inputFile));
     XML_Node* fxml_phase = findXMLPhase(&fxml, id);
     if (!fxml_phase) {
         throw CanteraError("PDSS_Water::initThermo",
diff --git a/test/general/test_xml.cpp b/test/general/test_xml.cpp
index 06abf2194..94d1d47f0 100644
--- a/test/general/test_xml.cpp
+++ b/test/general/test_xml.cpp
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@ TEST(XML_Node, read_write)
     // Check that we can re-read our own XML output
     XML_Node node1, node2;
     std::stringstream out;
-    std::ifstream xmlfile("../data/air-no-reactions.xml");
-    node1.build(xmlfile);
+    node1.build("../data/air-no-reactions.xml");
     node1.write(out);
 
     node2.build(out);