diff --git a/morss/feeds.py b/morss/feeds.py
index 5d73dfe..669891d 100644
--- a/morss/feeds.py
+++ b/morss/feeds.py
@@ -328,7 +328,10 @@ class ParserXML(ParserBase):
 
         match = self.rule_search(rule)
 
-        if key is not None:
+        if match is None:
+            return
+
+        elif key is not None:
             del x.attrib[key]
 
         else: