diff --git a/aiida_quantumespresso/parsers/pw.py b/aiida_quantumespresso/parsers/pw.py
index cb6f6d58d..3a3bb524f 100644
--- a/aiida_quantumespresso/parsers/pw.py
+++ b/aiida_quantumespresso/parsers/pw.py
@@ -83,10 +83,12 @@ def parse_with_retrieved(self, retrieved):
         # The xml file is required for parsing
         if not self._calc._DATAFILE_XML_BASENAME in list_of_files:
             self.logger.error("The xml output file '{}' was not found but is required".format(self._calc._DATAFILE_XML_BASENAME))
-            return False, ()
+            successful = False
+            xml_file = None
+        else:
+            xml_file = os.path.join(out_folder.get_abs_path('.'), self._calc._DATAFILE_XML_BASENAME)
 
         out_file = os.path.join(out_folder.get_abs_path('.'), self._calc._OUTPUT_FILE_NAME)
-        xml_file = os.path.join(out_folder.get_abs_path('.'), self._calc._DATAFILE_XML_BASENAME)
 
         # Call the raw parsing function
         parsing_args = [out_file, parameters, parser_opts, xml_file, dir_with_bands]