diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 701938b..16dce24 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ use anyhow::{Error, Result};
 use quick_xml::{events::Event, Reader};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 
+mod xml;
+
+use xml::{
+    Document, Element, PolicyContext, PolicyElement, RuleAttributes, RuleElement, TypeElement,
+};
+
 const EXPECTED_DOCTYPE_PARTS: &[&str] = &[
     "busconfig",
     "PUBLIC",
@@ -27,7 +33,12 @@ pub enum Access {
     Deny,
 }
 
-/// implements [`dbus-daemon`'s Configuration File](https://dbus.freedesktop.org/doc/dbus-daemon.1.html#configuration_file)
+/// The bus configuration.
+///
+/// This is currently only loaded from the [XML configuration files] defined by the specification.
+/// We plan to add support for other formats (e.g JSON) in the future.
+///
+/// [XML configuration files]: https://dbus.freedesktop.org/doc/dbus-daemon.1.html#configuration_file
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
 #[serde(try_from = "Document")]
 pub struct BusConfig {
@@ -255,39 +266,6 @@ pub enum BusType {
     System,
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
-struct Document {
-    #[serde(rename = "$value", default)]
-    busconfig: Vec<Element>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
-enum Element {
-    AllowAnonymous,
-    Auth(String),
-    Fork,
-    KeepUmask,
-    // TODO: support `<include ignore_missing=(yes|no) if_selinux_enabled=(yes|no)
-    // selinux_root_relative=(yes|no)>` TODO: support `<includedir>`
-    Listen(String),
-    Limit,
-    Pidfile(PathBuf),
-    Policy(PolicyElement),
-    Servicedir(PathBuf),
-    Servicehelper(PathBuf),
-    /// Requests a standard set of session service directories.
-    /// Its effect is similar to specifying a series of <servicedir/> elements for each of the data
-    /// directories, in the order given here.
-    StandardSessionServicedirs,
-    /// Specifies the standard system-wide activation directories that should be searched for
-    /// service files.
-    StandardSystemServicedirs,
-    Syslog,
-    Type(TypeElement),
-    User(String),
-}
-
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Limits {
     /// total size in bytes of messages incoming from a single connection
@@ -474,27 +452,6 @@ impl TryFrom<PolicyElement> for OptionalPolicy {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
-enum PolicyContext {
-    Default,
-    Mandatory,
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
-struct PolicyElement {
-    #[serde(rename = "@at_console")]
-    at_console: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@context")]
-    context: Option<PolicyContext>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@group")]
-    group: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "$value", default)]
-    rules: Vec<RuleElement>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@user")]
-    user: Option<String>,
-}
-
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct ReceiveOperation {
     pub error: String,
@@ -637,74 +594,6 @@ fn rules_try_from_rule_elements(value: Vec<RuleElement>) -> Result<Vec<Rule>> {
 
 pub type Rule = (Access, Operation);
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
-struct RuleAttributes {
-    #[serde(rename = "@max_fds")]
-    max_fds: Option<u32>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@min_fds")]
-    min_fds: Option<u32>,
-
-    #[serde(rename = "@receive_error")]
-    receive_error: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@receive_interface")]
-    receive_interface: Option<String>,
-    /// deprecated and ignored
-    #[serde(rename = "@receive_member")]
-    receive_member: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@receive_path")]
-    receive_path: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@receive_sender")]
-    receive_sender: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@receive_type")]
-    receive_type: Option<MessageType>,
-
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_broadcast")]
-    send_broadcast: Option<bool>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_destination")]
-    send_destination: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_destination_prefix")]
-    send_destination_prefix: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_error")]
-    send_error: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_interface")]
-    send_interface: Option<String>,
-    /// deprecated and ignored: https://github.com/dbus2/busd/issues/79
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_member")]
-    send_member: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_path")]
-    send_path: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_type")]
-    send_type: Option<MessageType>,
-
-    /// deprecated and ignored
-    #[serde(rename = "@receive_requested_reply")]
-    receive_requested_reply: Option<bool>,
-    /// deprecated and ignored
-    #[serde(rename = "@send_requested_reply")]
-    send_requested_reply: Option<bool>,
-
-    /// deprecated and ignored
-    #[serde(rename = "@eavesdrop")]
-    eavesdrop: Option<bool>,
-
-    #[serde(rename = "@own")]
-    own: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@own_prefix")]
-    own_prefix: Option<String>,
-
-    #[serde(rename = "@group")]
-    group: Option<String>,
-    #[serde(rename = "@user")]
-    user: Option<String>,
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
-#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
-enum RuleElement {
-    Allow(RuleAttributes),
-    Deny(RuleAttributes),
-}
-
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct SendOperation {
     pub broadcast: Option<bool>,
@@ -748,12 +637,6 @@ impl From<RuleAttributes> for SendOperation {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
-struct TypeElement {
-    #[serde(rename = "$text")]
-    r#type: BusType,
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/src/config/xml.rs b/src/config/xml.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83f62e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/config/xml.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
+use serde::Deserialize;
+
+use super::{BusType, MessageType};
+
+/// The bus configuration.
+///
+/// This is currently only loaded from the [XML configuration files] defined by the specification.
+/// We plan to add support for other formats (e.g JSON) in the future.
+///
+/// [XML configuration files]: https://dbus.freedesktop.org/doc/dbus-daemon.1.html#configuration_file
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+pub struct Document {
+    #[serde(rename = "$value", default)]
+    pub busconfig: Vec<Element>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+pub enum Element {
+    AllowAnonymous,
+    Auth(String),
+    Fork,
+    KeepUmask,
+    // TODO: support `<include ignore_missing=(yes|no) if_selinux_enabled=(yes|no)
+    // selinux_root_relative=(yes|no)>` TODO: support `<includedir>`
+    Listen(String),
+    Limit,
+    Pidfile(PathBuf),
+    Policy(PolicyElement),
+    Servicedir(PathBuf),
+    Servicehelper(PathBuf),
+    /// Requests a standard set of session service directories.
+    /// Its effect is similar to specifying a series of <servicedir/> elements for each of the data
+    /// directories, in the order given here.
+    StandardSessionServicedirs,
+    /// Specifies the standard system-wide activation directories that should be searched for
+    /// service files.
+    StandardSystemServicedirs,
+    Syslog,
+    Type(TypeElement),
+    User(String),
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+pub enum PolicyContext {
+    Default,
+    Mandatory,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+pub struct PolicyElement {
+    #[serde(rename = "@at_console")]
+    pub at_console: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@context")]
+    pub context: Option<PolicyContext>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@group")]
+    pub group: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "$value", default)]
+    pub rules: Vec<RuleElement>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@user")]
+    pub user: Option<String>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+pub struct RuleAttributes {
+    #[serde(rename = "@max_fds")]
+    pub max_fds: Option<u32>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@min_fds")]
+    pub min_fds: Option<u32>,
+
+    #[serde(rename = "@receive_error")]
+    pub receive_error: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@receive_interface")]
+    pub receive_interface: Option<String>,
+    /// deprecated and ignored
+    #[serde(rename = "@receive_member")]
+    pub receive_member: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@receive_path")]
+    pub receive_path: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@receive_sender")]
+    pub receive_sender: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@receive_type")]
+    pub receive_type: Option<MessageType>,
+
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_broadcast")]
+    pub send_broadcast: Option<bool>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_destination")]
+    pub send_destination: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_destination_prefix")]
+    pub send_destination_prefix: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_error")]
+    pub send_error: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_interface")]
+    pub send_interface: Option<String>,
+    /// deprecated and ignored: https://github.com/dbus2/busd/issues/79
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_member")]
+    pub send_member: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_path")]
+    pub send_path: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_type")]
+    pub send_type: Option<MessageType>,
+
+    /// deprecated and ignored
+    #[serde(rename = "@receive_requested_reply")]
+    pub receive_requested_reply: Option<bool>,
+    /// deprecated and ignored
+    #[serde(rename = "@send_requested_reply")]
+    pub send_requested_reply: Option<bool>,
+
+    /// deprecated and ignored
+    #[serde(rename = "@eavesdrop")]
+    pub eavesdrop: Option<bool>,
+
+    #[serde(rename = "@own")]
+    pub own: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@own_prefix")]
+    pub own_prefix: Option<String>,
+
+    #[serde(rename = "@group")]
+    pub group: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(rename = "@user")]
+    pub user: Option<String>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
+pub enum RuleElement {
+    Allow(RuleAttributes),
+    Deny(RuleAttributes),
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, PartialEq)]
+pub struct TypeElement {
+    #[serde(rename = "$text")]
+    pub r#type: BusType,
+}