diff --git a/lib/rexml/xpath_parser.rb b/lib/rexml/xpath_parser.rb
index a4f5d2508a..6a32a06440 100644
--- a/lib/rexml/xpath_parser.rb
+++ b/lib/rexml/xpath_parser.rb
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ module REXML
 
         when :variable
           var_name = path_stack.shift
-          return @variables[ var_name ]
+          return [@variables[var_name]]
 
         # :and, :or, :eq, :neq, :lt, :lteq, :gt, :gteq
         # TODO: Special case for :or and :and -- not evaluate the right