diff --git a/src/PhpWord/Reader/Word2007/Document.php b/src/PhpWord/Reader/Word2007/Document.php
index da42bddc9e..7bcb4a7aa3 100644
--- a/src/PhpWord/Reader/Word2007/Document.php
+++ b/src/PhpWord/Reader/Word2007/Document.php
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public function read(PhpWord $phpWord): void
     {
         $this->phpWord = $phpWord;
         $xmlReader = new XMLReader();
-        $xmlReader->getDomFromZip($this->docFile, $this->xmlFile);
+        $xmlReader->getDomFromZip($this->docFile, ltrim($this->xmlFile, '/'));
         $readMethods = ['w:p' => 'readWPNode', 'w:tbl' => 'readTable', 'w:sectPr' => 'readWSectPrNode'];
 
         $nodes = $xmlReader->getElements('w:body/*');