diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/AbstractXMLObject.java b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/AbstractXMLObject.java
index f30b02f61..a6f65ab13 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/AbstractXMLObject.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/AbstractXMLObject.java
@@ -46,9 +46,16 @@ public void detach() {
 
     }
 
+    @Transient
+    private transient Element dom;
+
     @Nullable
     public Element getDOM() {
-        return null;
+        return this.dom;
+    }
+
+    public void setDom(Element dom) {
+        this.dom = dom;
     }
 
     public String getNamespaceURI() {
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/EntityDescriptor.java b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/EntityDescriptor.java
index 92e496c5e..498e46f32 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/EntityDescriptor.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/edu/internet2/tier/shibboleth/admin/ui/domain/EntityDescriptor.java
@@ -266,15 +266,4 @@ public List<XMLObject> getOrderedChildren() {
 
         return Collections.unmodifiableList(children);
     }
-
-    @Override
-    public Element getDOM() {
-        XMLObjectProviderRegistry registry = ConfigurationService.get(XMLObjectProviderRegistry.class);
-        try {
-            return registry.getMarshallerFactory().getMarshaller(this).marshall(this);
-        } catch (MarshallingException e) {
-            // TODO: some sort of logging?
-            return null;
-        }
-    }
 }