diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 5394c8b..34dab76 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,3 +6,6 @@ authors = ["lumi <lumi@pew.im>"]
 [dependencies]
 xml-rs = "*"
 openssl = "*"
+
+[dependencies.minidom]
+git = "https://gitlab.com/lumi/minidom-rs.git"
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index f4af81d..87f5ef4 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ use openssl::error::ErrorStack;
 use xml::reader::Error as XmlError;
 use xml::writer::Error as EmitterError;
 
+use minidom::error::Error as MinidomError;
+
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub enum Error {
     XmlError(XmlError),
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@ pub enum Error {
     IoError(io::Error),
     HandshakeError(HandshakeError<TcpStream>),
     OpenSslErrorStack(ErrorStack),
+    MinidomError(MinidomError),
     StreamError,
     EndOfDocument,
 }
@@ -49,3 +52,8 @@ impl From<ErrorStack> for Error {
     }
 }
 
+impl From<MinidomError> for Error {
+    fn from(err: MinidomError) -> Error {
+        Error::MinidomError(err)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 08a2997..6baaae7 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 extern crate xml;
 extern crate openssl;
+extern crate minidom;
 
 pub mod ns;
 pub mod transport;
 pub mod error;
 pub mod jid;
 pub mod client;
-pub mod tree;
 
 mod locked_io;
diff --git a/src/transport.rs b/src/transport.rs
index b7b299d..289b6d6 100644
--- a/src/transport.rs
+++ b/src/transport.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
 
 use ns;
 
-use tree;
+use minidom;
 
 use locked_io::LockedIO;
 
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ pub trait Transport {
     fn write_event<'a, E: Into<XmlWriterEvent<'a>>>(&mut self, event: E) -> Result<(), Error>;
     fn read_event(&mut self) -> Result<XmlReaderEvent, Error>;
 
-    fn write_element(&mut self, element: &tree::Element) -> Result<(), Error>;
-    fn read_element(&mut self) -> Result<tree::Element, Error>;
+    fn write_element(&mut self, element: &minidom::Element) -> Result<(), Error>;
+    fn read_element(&mut self) -> Result<minidom::Element, Error>;
 }
 
 pub struct SslTransport {
@@ -42,12 +42,12 @@ impl Transport for SslTransport {
         Ok(self.reader.next()?)
     }
 
-    fn write_element(&mut self, element: &tree::Element) -> Result<(), Error> {
-        element.write_to(&mut self.writer)
+    fn write_element(&mut self, element: &minidom::Element) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Ok(element.write_to(&mut self.writer)?)
     }
 
-    fn read_element(&mut self) -> Result<tree::Element, Error> {
-        tree::Element::from_reader(&mut self.reader)
+    fn read_element(&mut self) -> Result<minidom::Element, Error> {
+        Ok(minidom::Element::from_reader(&mut self.reader)?)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tree.rs b/src/tree.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 339f1a5..0000000
--- a/src/tree.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,279 +0,0 @@
-// TODO: really should either be a separate crate or implemented into xml-rs
-
-use std::io::prelude::*;
-
-use std::convert::From;
-
-use std::fmt;
-
-use xml::name::{OwnedName, Name};
-use xml::reader::{XmlEvent as ReaderEvent, EventReader};
-use xml::writer::{XmlEvent as WriterEvent, EventWriter};
-use xml::attribute::OwnedAttribute;
-
-use error::Error;
-
-#[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
-pub struct Element {
-    name: OwnedName,
-    attributes: Vec<OwnedAttribute>,
-    children: Vec<Fork>,
-}
-
-impl fmt::Debug for Element {
-    fn fmt(&self, fmt: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> Result<(), fmt::Error> {
-        write!(fmt, "<{}", self.name)?;
-        for attr in &self.attributes {
-            write!(fmt, " {}", attr)?;
-        }
-        write!(fmt, ">")?;
-        for child in &self.children {
-            match *child {
-                Fork::Element(ref e) => {
-                    write!(fmt, "{:?}", e)?;
-                },
-                Fork::Text(ref s) => {
-                    write!(fmt, "{}", s)?;
-                },
-            }
-        }
-        write!(fmt, "</{}>", self.name)?;
-        Ok(())
-    }
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
-pub enum Fork {
-    Element(Element),
-    Text(String),
-}
-
-impl Element {
-    pub fn new(name: OwnedName, attributes: Vec<OwnedAttribute>) -> Element {
-        Element {
-            name: name,
-            attributes: attributes,
-            children: Vec::new(),
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn builder<S: Into<String>>(name: S) -> ElementBuilder {
-        ElementBuilder {
-            name: OwnedName::local(name),
-            attributes: Vec::new(),
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn tag(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.name.local_name
-    }
-
-    pub fn ns(&self) -> Option<&str> {
-        self.name.namespace.as_ref()
-                           .map(String::as_ref)
-    }
-
-    pub fn attr(&self, key: &str) -> Option<&str> {
-        for attr in &self.attributes {
-            if attr.name.local_name == key {
-                return Some(&attr.value);
-            }
-        }
-        None
-    }
-
-    pub fn from_reader<R: Read>(reader: &mut EventReader<R>) -> Result<Element, Error> {
-        loop {
-            let e = reader.next()?;
-            match e {
-                ReaderEvent::StartElement { name, attributes, .. } => {
-                    let mut root = Element::new(name, attributes);
-                    root.from_reader_inner(reader);
-                    return Ok(root);
-                },
-                ReaderEvent::EndDocument => {
-                    return Err(Error::EndOfDocument);
-                },
-                _ => () // TODO: may need more errors
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    fn from_reader_inner<R: Read>(&mut self, reader: &mut EventReader<R>) -> Result<(), Error> {
-        loop {
-            let e = reader.next()?;
-            match e {
-                ReaderEvent::StartElement { name, attributes, .. } => {
-                    let elem = Element::new(name, attributes);
-                    let elem_ref = self.append_child(elem);
-                    elem_ref.from_reader_inner(reader);
-                },
-                ReaderEvent::EndElement { .. } => {
-                    // TODO: may want to check whether we're closing the correct element
-                    return Ok(());
-                },
-                ReaderEvent::Characters(s) => {
-                    self.append_text_node(s);
-                },
-                ReaderEvent::CData(s) => {
-                    self.append_text_node(s);
-                },
-                ReaderEvent::EndDocument => {
-                    return Err(Error::EndOfDocument);
-                },
-                _ => (), // TODO: may need to implement more
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn write_to<W: Write>(&self, writer: &mut EventWriter<W>) -> Result<(), Error> {
-        let mut start = WriterEvent::start_element(self.name.borrow());
-        if let Some(ref ns) = self.name.namespace {
-            start = start.default_ns(ns.as_ref());
-        }
-        for attr in &self.attributes { // TODO: I think this could be done a lot more efficiently
-            start = start.attr(attr.name.borrow(), &attr.value);
-        }
-        writer.write(start)?;
-        for child in &self.children {
-            match *child {
-                Fork::Element(ref e) => {
-                    e.write_to(writer)?;
-                },
-                Fork::Text(ref s) => {
-                    writer.write(WriterEvent::characters(s))?;
-                },
-            }
-        }
-        writer.write(WriterEvent::end_element())?;
-        Ok(())
-    }
-
-    pub fn children<'a>(&'a self) -> Children<'a> {
-        unimplemented!();
-    }
-
-    pub fn children_mut<'a>(&'a mut self) -> ChildrenMut<'a> {
-        unimplemented!();
-    }
-
-    pub fn append_child(&mut self, child: Element) -> &mut Element {
-        self.children.push(Fork::Element(child));
-        if let Fork::Element(ref mut cld) = *self.children.last_mut().unwrap() {
-            cld
-        }
-        else {
-            unreachable!()
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub fn append_text_node<S: Into<String>>(&mut self, child: S) {
-        self.children.push(Fork::Text(child.into()));
-    }
-
-    pub fn text(&self) -> &str {
-        unimplemented!()
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_child<'a, N: Into<Name<'a>>>(&self, name: N) -> Option<&Element> {
-        unimplemented!()
-    }
-
-    pub fn get_child_mut<'a, N: Into<Name<'a>>>(&mut self, name: N) -> Option<&mut Element> {
-        unimplemented!()
-    }
-
-    pub fn into_child<'a, N: Into<Name<'a>>>(self, name: N) -> Option<Element> {
-        unimplemented!()
-    }
-}
-
-pub struct Children<'a> {
-    elem: &'a Element,
-}
-
-pub struct ChildrenMut<'a> {
-    elem: &'a mut Element,
-}
-
-pub struct ElementBuilder {
-    name: OwnedName,
-    attributes: Vec<OwnedAttribute>,
-}
-
-impl ElementBuilder {
-    pub fn ns<S: Into<String>>(mut self, namespace: S) -> ElementBuilder {
-        self.name.namespace = Some(namespace.into());
-        self
-    }
-
-    pub fn attr<S: Into<String>, V: Into<String>>(mut self, name: S, value: V) -> ElementBuilder {
-        self.attributes.push(OwnedAttribute::new(OwnedName::local(name), value));
-        self
-    }
-
-    pub fn attr_ns<S: Into<String>, N: Into<String>, V: Into<String>>(mut self, name: S, namespace: N, value: V) -> ElementBuilder {
-        self.attributes.push(OwnedAttribute::new(OwnedName::qualified::<_, _, &'static str>(name, namespace, None), value));
-        self
-    }
-
-    pub fn build(self) -> Element {
-        Element::new(self.name, self.attributes)
-    }
-}
-
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod tests {
-    use super::*;
-
-    const TEST_STRING: &'static str = r#"<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><root xmlns="root_ns" a="b">meow<child c="d" /><child xmlns="child_ns" d="e" />nya</root>"#;
-
-    fn build_test_tree() -> Element {
-        let mut root = Element::builder("root")
-                               .ns("root_ns")
-                               .attr("a", "b")
-                               .build();
-        root.append_text_node("meow");
-        let child = Element::builder("child")
-                            .attr("c", "d")
-                            .build();
-        root.append_child(child);
-        let other_child = Element::builder("child")
-                                  .ns("child_ns")
-                                  .attr("d", "e")
-                                  .build();
-        root.append_child(other_child);
-        root.append_text_node("nya");
-        root
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn reader_works() {
-        use std::io::Cursor;
-        let mut reader = EventReader::new(Cursor::new(TEST_STRING));
-        // TODO: fix a bunch of namespace stuff so this test passes
-        assert_eq!(Element::from_reader(&mut reader).unwrap(), build_test_tree());
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn writer_works() {
-        let root = build_test_tree();
-        let mut out = Vec::new();
-        {
-            let mut writer = EventWriter::new(&mut out);
-            root.write_to(&mut writer);
-        }
-        assert_eq!(String::from_utf8(out).unwrap(), TEST_STRING);
-    }
-
-    #[test]
-    fn builder_works() {
-        let elem = Element::builder("a")
-                           .ns("b")
-                           .attr("c", "d")
-                           .build();
-        assert_eq!(elem.tag(), "a");
-        assert_eq!(elem.ns(), Some("b"));
-        assert_eq!(elem.attr("c"), Some("d"));
-    }
-}