diff --git a/gramps/configure.in b/gramps/configure.in
index 5e9e12f80..3e394a3c8 100644
--- a/gramps/configure.in
+++ b/gramps/configure.in
@@ -36,9 +36,16 @@ try:
     f.write("YES")
     f.close()
 except ImportError:
-    f = open("conftest.out", "w")
-    f.write("NO")
-    f.close()
+
+    try:
+        from _xmlplus.sax import saxlib
+        f = open("conftest.out", "w")
+        f.write("YES")
+        f.close()
+    except ImportError:
+        f = open("conftest.out", "w")
+        f.write("NO")
+        f.close()
 EOF
 changequote([, ])
 $PYTHON conftest.py
diff --git a/gramps/src/DrawDoc.py b/gramps/src/DrawDoc.py
index e11fabffe..c2c0d635c 100644
--- a/gramps/src/DrawDoc.py
+++ b/gramps/src/DrawDoc.py
@@ -23,24 +23,8 @@ from TextDoc import *
 import string
 import os
 import sys
-import xml.sax
-import xml.sax.saxutils
 import utils
 
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#
-# Try to abstract SAX1 from SAX2
-#
-#-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-if sys.version[0] != '1':
-    sax = 2
-else:
-    try:
-        import xml.sax.saxexts
-        sax = 1
-    except:
-        sax = 2
-
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # 
diff --git a/gramps/src/GrampsParser.py b/gramps/src/GrampsParser.py
index cc2595b57..728a9665c 100644
--- a/gramps/src/GrampsParser.py
+++ b/gramps/src/GrampsParser.py
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ import string
 import os
 import sys
 
-from xml.sax import handler
-
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 # Try to abstract SAX1 from SAX2
@@ -34,8 +32,13 @@ from xml.sax import handler
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 if sys.version[0] != '1':
     sax = 2
+    try:
+        from _xmlplus.sax import handler
+    else:
+        from xml.sax import handler
 else:
     try:
+        from xml.sax import handler
         import xml.sax.saxexts
         sax = 1
     except:
diff --git a/gramps/src/ReadXML.py b/gramps/src/ReadXML.py
index af99cc7dc..be7cf76db 100644
--- a/gramps/src/ReadXML.py
+++ b/gramps/src/ReadXML.py
@@ -31,8 +31,13 @@ import os
 from gnome.ui import *
 
 import sys
-import xml.sax
-import xml.sax.saxutils
+try:
+    import _xmlplus.sax
+    import _xmlplus.sax.saxutils
+except:
+    import xml.sax
+    import xml.sax.saxutils
+    
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -42,11 +47,18 @@ import xml.sax.saxutils
 
 if sys.version[0] != '1':
     sax = 2
+    try:
+        from _xmlplus.sax import make_parser, SAXParseException
+    except:
+        from xml.sax import make_parser, SAXParseException
 else:
     try:
-        import xml.sax.saxexts
+        from xml.sax.saxexts import make_parser
+        from xml.sax import SAXParseException
+        from xml.sax.saxutils import ErrorRaiser
         sax = 1
     except:
+        from xml.sax import make_parser, SAXParseException
         sax = 2
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -63,12 +75,12 @@ def importData(database, filename, callback):
     database.fmap = {}
 
     if sax == 1:
-        parser = xml.sax.saxexts.make_parser()
+        parser = make_parser()
         parser.setDocumentHandler(GrampsImportParser(database,callback,basefile))
-        parser.setErrorHandler(xml.sax.saxutils.ErrorRaiser())
+        parser.setErrorHandler(ErrorRaiser())
          
     else:
-        parser = xml.sax.make_parser()
+        parser = make_parser()
         parser.setContentHandler(GrampsImportParser(database,callback,basefile))
          
     try:
@@ -119,11 +131,11 @@ def loadData(database, filename, callback):
     filename = os.path.normpath(filename)
 
     if sax == 1:
-        parser = xml.sax.saxexts.make_parser()
+        parser = make_parser()
         parser.setDocumentHandler(GrampsParser(database,callback,basefile))
-        parser.setErrorHandler(xml.sax.saxutils.ErrorRaiser())
+        parser.setErrorHandler(ErrorRaiser())
     else:
-        parser = xml.sax.make_parser()
+        parser = make_parser()
         parser.setContentHandler(GrampsParser(database,callback,basefile))
 
     try:
diff --git a/gramps/src/TextDoc.py b/gramps/src/TextDoc.py
index 0a555dd36..a753bc3cf 100644
--- a/gramps/src/TextDoc.py
+++ b/gramps/src/TextDoc.py
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
 import string
 import os
 import sys
-import xml.sax
-import xml.sax.saxutils
 import utils
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -32,11 +30,21 @@ import utils
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 if sys.version[0] != '1':
     sax = 2
+    try:
+        from _xmlplus.sax import make_parser
+        from _xmlplus.sax import handler
+    except:
+        from xml.sax import make_parser
+        from xml.sax import handler
 else:
     try:
         import xml.sax.saxexts
+        from xml.sax.saxutils import ErrorRaiser
+        from xml.sax import handler
         sax = 1
     except:
+        from xml.sax.saxutils import ErrorRaiser
+        from xml.sax import handler
         sax = 2
 
 FONT_SANS_SERIF = 0
@@ -466,12 +474,12 @@ class StyleSheetList:
             return
 
         if sax == 1:
-            parser = xml.sax.saxexts.make_parser()
+            parser = make_parser()
             parser.setDocumentHandler(SheetParser(self))
-            parser.setErrorHandler(xml.sax.saxutils.ErrorRaiser())
+            parser.setErrorHandler(ErrorRaiser())
             parser.parseFile(f)
         else:
-            parser = xml.sax.make_parser()
+            parser = make_parser()
             parser.setContentHandler(SheetParser(self))
             parser.parse(f)
         
@@ -510,9 +518,9 @@ class StyleSheet:
 # 
 #
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-class SheetParser(xml.sax.handler.ContentHandler):
+class SheetParser(handler.ContentHandler):
     def __init__(self,sheetlist):
-        xml.sax.handler.ContentHandler.__init__(self)
+        handler.ContentHandler.__init__(self)
         self.sheetlist = sheetlist
         self.f = None
         self.p = None