diff --git a/manifest_xml.py b/manifest_xml.py
index 03925176..0068ac6a 100644
--- a/manifest_xml.py
+++ b/manifest_xml.py
@@ -1266,7 +1266,10 @@ https://gerrit.googlesource.com/git-repo/+/HEAD/docs/manifest-format.md
             raise ManifestParseError("no root node in %s" % (path,))
 
         for manifest in root.childNodes:
-            if manifest.nodeName == "manifest":
+            if (
+                manifest.nodeType == manifest.ELEMENT_NODE
+                and manifest.nodeName == "manifest"
+            ):
                 break
         else:
             raise ManifestParseError("no <manifest> in %s" % (path,))
diff --git a/tests/test_manifest_xml.py b/tests/test_manifest_xml.py
index 1015e114..bd255dcc 100644
--- a/tests/test_manifest_xml.py
+++ b/tests/test_manifest_xml.py
@@ -385,6 +385,21 @@ class XmlManifestTests(ManifestParseTestCase):
             "</manifest>",
         )
 
+    def test_parse_with_xml_doctype(self):
+        """Check correct manifest parse with DOCTYPE node present."""
+        manifest = self.getXmlManifest(
+            """<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!DOCTYPE manifest []>
+<manifest>
+  <remote name="test-remote" fetch="http://localhost" />
+  <default remote="test-remote" revision="refs/heads/main" />
+  <project name="test-project" path="src/test-project"/>
+</manifest>
+"""
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(len(manifest.projects), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(manifest.projects[0].name, "test-project")
+
 
 class IncludeElementTests(ManifestParseTestCase):
     """Tests for <include>."""