diff --git a/lib/saxes.js b/lib/saxes.js
index a8a7d06d..40aa4603 100644
--- a/lib/saxes.js
+++ b/lib/saxes.js
@@ -885,9 +885,11 @@ class SAXParser {
 
       let { ns } = tag;
       let disconnectedNS = false;
-      for (const [name, uri] of this.attribList) {
+      // eslint-disable-next-line prefer-const
+      for (let [name, uri] of this.attribList) {
         const { prefix, local } = this.qname(name, true);
         if (prefix === "xmlns") {
+          uri = uri.trim();
           // namespace binding attribute. push the binding into scope
           if (local === "xml" && uri !== XML_NAMESPACE) {
             this.fail(`xml: prefix must be bound to ${XML_NAMESPACE}\n` +