diff --git a/src/panfrost/compiler/kraid/proc/isa/mod.rs b/src/panfrost/compiler/kraid/proc/isa/mod.rs
index 1ce61ecae84..57812bb129b 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/compiler/kraid/proc/isa/mod.rs
+++ b/src/panfrost/compiler/kraid/proc/isa/mod.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 
 pub mod encoder;
+mod xml;
 
 use proc_macro2::TokenStream as TokenStream2;
 use quote::ToTokens;
 use std::ops::Range;
+use xml::XmlElement;
 
 #[macro_export]
 macro_rules! ident {
@@ -163,7 +165,13 @@ pub struct ISA {
 }
 
 impl ISA {
-    pub fn from_xml_file(file: std::fs::File, arch: Range<u8>) -> Result<ISA> {
+    fn from_xml(xml: XmlElement, arch: Range<u8>) -> Result<ISA> {
+        assert_eq!(xml.name.local_name, "mali-isa");
+
         Ok(ISA { arch })
     }
+
+    pub fn from_xml_file(file: std::fs::File, arch: Range<u8>) -> Result<ISA> {
+        ISA::from_xml(xml::XmlElement::from_xml_file(file)?, arch)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/panfrost/compiler/kraid/proc/isa/xml.rs b/src/panfrost/compiler/kraid/proc/isa/xml.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ff54ca104b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/panfrost/compiler/kraid/proc/isa/xml.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+// Copyright © 2026 Collabora, Ltd.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::ops::Range;
+use xml::attribute::OwnedAttribute;
+use xml::name::OwnedName;
+use xml::reader::{EventReader, XmlEvent};
+
+/// A very simpl DOM
+pub struct XmlElement {
+    pub name: OwnedName,
+    pub attrs: HashMap<String, String>,
+    pub children: Vec<XmlElement>,
+}
+
+impl XmlElement {
+    fn from_xml_event(
+        name: OwnedName,
+        attributes: Vec<OwnedAttribute>,
+        events: &mut impl Iterator<Item = xml::reader::Result<XmlEvent>>,
+    ) -> xml::reader::Result<XmlElement> {
+        let mut elem = XmlElement {
+            name,
+            attrs: attributes
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(|a| (a.name.local_name, a.value))
+                .collect(),
+            children: Default::default(),
+        };
+
+        while let Some(event) = events.next() {
+            match event? {
+                XmlEvent::StartElement {
+                    name, attributes, ..
+                } => {
+                    elem.children.push(XmlElement::from_xml_event(
+                        name, attributes, events,
+                    )?);
+                }
+                XmlEvent::EndElement { .. } => return Ok(elem),
+                _ => (),
+            }
+        }
+
+        Err(xml::reader::ErrorKind::UnexpectedEof.into())
+    }
+
+    pub fn from_xml_file(
+        file: std::fs::File,
+    ) -> xml::reader::Result<XmlElement> {
+        // Buffering is important for performance
+        let file = std::io::BufReader::new(file);
+        let mut events = EventReader::new(file).into_iter();
+
+        while let Some(event) = events.next() {
+            match event? {
+                XmlEvent::StartElement {
+                    name, attributes, ..
+                } => {
+                    return XmlElement::from_xml_event(
+                        name,
+                        attributes,
+                        &mut events,
+                    )
+                }
+                _ => (),
+            }
+        }
+
+        Err(xml::reader::ErrorKind::UnexpectedEof.into())
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_u8_attr(&self, name: &str) -> Option<u8> {
+        let s = self.attrs.get(name)?;
+        let u = u8::from_str_radix(s, 10).unwrap();
+        Some(u)
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_bool_attr(&self, name: &str) -> Option<bool> {
+        self.get_u8_attr(name).map(|u| u != 0)
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_arch(&self, all_arch: Range<u8>) -> Range<u8> {
+        let mut range = all_arch;
+        if let Some(since) = self.get_u8_attr("since") {
+            range.start = range.start.max(since);
+        }
+        if let Some(until) = self.get_u8_attr("until") {
+            range.end = range.end.min(until + 1);
+        }
+        range
+    }
+}