diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/attribute.c b/dlls/msxml3/attribute.c
index 92cafad5367..9fabc469a7d 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/attribute.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/attribute.c
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ static const struct IXMLDOMAttributeVtbl domattr_vtbl =
 IUnknown* create_attribute( xmlNodePtr attribute )
 {
     domattr *This;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     This = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof *This );
     if ( !This )
@@ -556,22 +556,15 @@ IUnknown* create_attribute( xmlNodePtr attribute )
     This->lpVtbl = &domattr_vtbl;
     This->ref = 1;
 
-    This->node_unk = create_basic_node( attribute, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
-    if(!This->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( attribute, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&This->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(This->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, This );
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* The ref on This->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(This->node);
+    This->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    This->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     return (IUnknown*) &This->lpVtbl;
 }
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/cdata.c b/dlls/msxml3/cdata.c
index 3d3c87514b9..a9b7fee34a0 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/cdata.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/cdata.c
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ static const struct IXMLDOMCDATASectionVtbl domcdata_vtbl =
 IUnknown* create_cdata( xmlNodePtr text )
 {
     domcdata *This;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     This = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof *This );
     if ( !This )
@@ -779,22 +779,15 @@ IUnknown* create_cdata( xmlNodePtr text )
     This->lpVtbl = &domcdata_vtbl;
     This->ref = 1;
 
-    This->node_unk = create_basic_node( text, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
-    if(!This->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( text, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&This->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(This->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, This );
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* The ref on This->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(This->node);
+    This->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    This->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     return (IUnknown*) &This->lpVtbl;
 }
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/comment.c b/dlls/msxml3/comment.c
index 717c73d0c45..a8cf528a374 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/comment.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/comment.c
@@ -768,7 +768,7 @@ static const struct IXMLDOMCommentVtbl domcomment_vtbl =
 IUnknown* create_comment( xmlNodePtr comment )
 {
     domcomment *This;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     This = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof *This );
     if ( !This )
@@ -777,22 +777,15 @@ IUnknown* create_comment( xmlNodePtr comment )
     This->lpVtbl = &domcomment_vtbl;
     This->ref = 1;
 
-    This->node_unk = create_basic_node( comment, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
-    if(!This->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( comment, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&This->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(This->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, This );
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* The ref on This->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(This->node);
+    This->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    This->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     return (IUnknown*) &This->lpVtbl;
 }
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/docfrag.c b/dlls/msxml3/docfrag.c
index f922faaa229..572d223d44d 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/docfrag.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/docfrag.c
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ static const struct IXMLDOMDocumentFragmentVtbl domfrag_vtbl =
 IUnknown* create_doc_fragment( xmlNodePtr fragment )
 {
     domfrag *This;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     This = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof *This );
     if ( !This )
@@ -529,22 +529,15 @@ IUnknown* create_doc_fragment( xmlNodePtr fragment )
     This->lpVtbl = &domfrag_vtbl;
     This->ref = 1;
 
-    This->node_unk = create_basic_node( fragment, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
-    if(!This->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( fragment, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&This->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(This->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, This );
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* The ref on This->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(This->node);
+    This->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    This->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     return (IUnknown*) &This->lpVtbl;
 }
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/domdoc.c b/dlls/msxml3/domdoc.c
index 1724093a39e..2da24706557 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/domdoc.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/domdoc.c
@@ -2198,7 +2198,7 @@ static dispex_static_data_t domdoc_dispex = {
 HRESULT DOMDocument_create_from_xmldoc(xmlDocPtr xmldoc, IXMLDOMDocument2 **document)
 {
     domdoc *doc;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     doc = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof (*doc) );
     if( !doc )
@@ -2222,26 +2222,18 @@ HRESULT DOMDocument_create_from_xmldoc(xmlDocPtr xmldoc, IXMLDOMDocument2 **docu
     doc->safeopt = 0;
     doc->bsc = NULL;
 
-    doc->node_unk = create_basic_node( (xmlNodePtr)xmldoc, (IUnknown*)&doc->lpVtbl );
-    if(!doc->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( (xmlNodePtr)xmldoc, (IUnknown*)&doc->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, doc);
         return E_FAIL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(doc->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&doc->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(doc->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, doc );
-        return E_FAIL;
-    }
+    doc->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    doc->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     init_dispex(&doc->dispex, (IUnknown*)&doc->lpVtbl, &domdoc_dispex);
 
-    /* The ref on doc->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(doc->node);
-
     *document = (IXMLDOMDocument2*)&doc->lpVtbl;
 
     TRACE("returning iface %p\n", *document);
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/element.c b/dlls/msxml3/element.c
index 4f0bce93acc..8b72181e896 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/element.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/element.c
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ static const struct IUnknownVtbl internal_unk_vtbl =
 IUnknown* create_element( xmlNodePtr element, IUnknown *pUnkOuter )
 {
     domelem *This;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     This = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof *This );
     if ( !This )
@@ -805,22 +805,15 @@ IUnknown* create_element( xmlNodePtr element, IUnknown *pUnkOuter )
     else
         This->pUnkOuter = (IUnknown *)&This->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
 
-    This->node_unk = create_basic_node( element, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
-    if(!This->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( element, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&This->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(This->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, This );
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* The ref on This->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(This->node);
+    This->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    This->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     return (IUnknown*) &This->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
 }
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/entityref.c b/dlls/msxml3/entityref.c
index a72b11022e7..1726e2f1697 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/entityref.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/entityref.c
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ static const struct IXMLDOMEntityReferenceVtbl entityref_vtbl =
 IUnknown* create_doc_entity_ref( xmlNodePtr entity )
 {
     entityref *This;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     This = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof *This );
     if ( !This )
@@ -528,22 +528,15 @@ IUnknown* create_doc_entity_ref( xmlNodePtr entity )
     This->lpVtbl = &entityref_vtbl;
     This->ref = 1;
 
-    This->node_unk = create_basic_node( entity, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
-    if(!This->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( entity, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&This->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(This->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, This );
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* The ref on This->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(This->node);
+    This->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    This->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     return (IUnknown*) &This->lpVtbl;
 }
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/msxml_private.h b/dlls/msxml3/msxml_private.h
index 357810d8c9a..d09b3801fd5 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/msxml_private.h
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/msxml_private.h
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@
 extern IUnknown         *create_domdoc( xmlNodePtr document );
 extern IUnknown         *create_xmldoc( void );
 extern IXMLDOMNode      *create_node( xmlNodePtr node );
-extern IUnknown         *create_basic_node( xmlNodePtr node, IUnknown *pUnkOuter );
 extern IUnknown         *create_element( xmlNodePtr element, IUnknown *pUnkOuter );
 extern IUnknown         *create_attribute( xmlNodePtr attribute );
 extern IUnknown         *create_text( xmlNodePtr text );
@@ -84,6 +83,13 @@ static inline xmlnode *impl_from_IXMLDOMNode( IXMLDOMNode *iface )
     return (xmlnode *)((char*)iface - FIELD_OFFSET(xmlnode, lpVtbl));
 }
 
+static inline IXMLDOMNode *IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(xmlnode *This)
+{
+    return (IXMLDOMNode*)&This->lpVtbl;
+}
+
+extern xmlnode *create_basic_node(xmlNodePtr,IUnknown*);
+
 extern HRESULT DOMDocument_create_from_xmldoc(xmlDocPtr xmldoc, IXMLDOMDocument2 **document);
 
 static inline BSTR bstr_from_xmlChar(const xmlChar *str)
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/node.c b/dlls/msxml3/node.c
index 1841e6ed233..2876ef3a05e 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/node.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/node.c
@@ -1542,7 +1542,7 @@ static const struct IUnknownVtbl internal_unk_vtbl =
     Internal_Release
 };
 
-IUnknown *create_basic_node( xmlNodePtr node, IUnknown *pUnkOuter )
+xmlnode *create_basic_node( xmlNodePtr node, IUnknown *pUnkOuter )
 {
     xmlnode *This;
 
@@ -1564,7 +1564,7 @@ IUnknown *create_basic_node( xmlNodePtr node, IUnknown *pUnkOuter )
     This->ref = 1;
     This->node = node;
 
-    return (IUnknown*)&This->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    return This;
 }
 
 IXMLDOMNode *create_node( xmlNodePtr node )
@@ -1599,7 +1599,7 @@ IXMLDOMNode *create_node( xmlNodePtr node )
         break;
     default:
         FIXME("only creating basic node for type %d\n", node->type);
-        pUnk = create_basic_node( node, NULL );
+        pUnk = (IUnknown*)&create_basic_node( node, NULL )->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
     }
 
     hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(pUnk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&ret);
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/pi.c b/dlls/msxml3/pi.c
index a38f355ce04..00a52665088 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/pi.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/pi.c
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ static const struct IXMLDOMProcessingInstructionVtbl dom_pi_vtbl =
 IUnknown* create_pi( xmlNodePtr pi )
 {
     dom_pi *This;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     This = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof *This );
     if ( !This )
@@ -614,22 +614,15 @@ IUnknown* create_pi( xmlNodePtr pi )
     This->lpVtbl = &dom_pi_vtbl;
     This->ref = 1;
 
-    This->node_unk = create_basic_node( pi, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
-    if(!This->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( pi, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&This->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(This->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, This );
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* The ref on This->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(This->node);
+    This->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    This->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     return (IUnknown*) &This->lpVtbl;
 }
diff --git a/dlls/msxml3/text.c b/dlls/msxml3/text.c
index 0e231994d69..58de405c321 100644
--- a/dlls/msxml3/text.c
+++ b/dlls/msxml3/text.c
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ static const struct IXMLDOMTextVtbl domtext_vtbl =
 IUnknown* create_text( xmlNodePtr text )
 {
     domtext *This;
-    HRESULT hr;
+    xmlnode *node;
 
     This = HeapAlloc( GetProcessHeap(), 0, sizeof *This );
     if ( !This )
@@ -781,22 +781,15 @@ IUnknown* create_text( xmlNodePtr text )
     This->lpVtbl = &domtext_vtbl;
     This->ref = 1;
 
-    This->node_unk = create_basic_node( text, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
-    if(!This->node_unk)
+    node = create_basic_node( text, (IUnknown*)&This->lpVtbl );
+    if(!node)
     {
         HeapFree(GetProcessHeap(), 0, This);
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    hr = IUnknown_QueryInterface(This->node_unk, &IID_IXMLDOMNode, (LPVOID*)&This->node);
-    if(FAILED(hr))
-    {
-        IUnknown_Release(This->node_unk);
-        HeapFree( GetProcessHeap(), 0, This );
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    /* The ref on This->node is actually looped back into this object, so release it */
-    IXMLDOMNode_Release(This->node);
+    This->node_unk = (IUnknown*)&node->lpInternalUnkVtbl;
+    This->node = IXMLDOMNode_from_impl(node);
 
     return (IUnknown*) &This->lpVtbl;
 }