diff --git a/lib/plist/parser.rb b/lib/plist/parser.rb
index 038b194..7a4ce12 100755
--- a/lib/plist/parser.rb
+++ b/lib/plist/parser.rb
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def tag_start(name, attributes)
 
     def text(contents)
       if @open.last
-        @open.last.text ||= ''
+        @open.last.text ||= ''.dup
         @open.last.text.concat(contents)
       end
     end
diff --git a/test/test_data_elements.rb b/test/test_data_elements.rb
index 02fcf20..c5358cf 100644
--- a/test/test_data_elements.rb
+++ b/test/test_data_elements.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def test_generator_io_and_file
 </data>
 END
 
-    expected.chomp!
+    expected = expected.chomp
 
     fd = IO.sysopen('test/assets/example_data.bin')
     io = IO.open(fd, 'r')