diff --git a/src/main/java/com/inteligr8/maven/ban/AbstractBanConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/com/inteligr8/maven/ban/AbstractBanConfiguration.java
index 418d354..14d7753 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/inteligr8/maven/ban/AbstractBanConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/inteligr8/maven/ban/AbstractBanConfiguration.java
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractBanConfiguration implements BanConfiguration {
                 downloader = new BanConfigurationDownloader(this.session, this.artifactResolver, url);
             } else if (child.getName().equals("artifact")) {
                 Artifact artifact = new DefaultArtifact(child.getValue());
-                if (artifact.getExtension() == null)
+                if (!"xml".equals(artifact.getExtension()))
                     artifact = new DefaultArtifact(artifact.getGroupId(), artifact.getArtifactId(), artifact.getClassifier(), "xml", artifact.getVersion());
                 ArtifactRequest request = new ArtifactRequest(artifact, this.session.getCurrentProject().getRemoteProjectRepositories(), null);