diff --git a/processor/xml.go b/processor/xml.go
index 2bb1d32..8cd1b2d 100644
--- a/processor/xml.go
+++ b/processor/xml.go
@@ -43,11 +43,10 @@ func (p *XMLProcessor) ProcessContent(content string, path string, luaExpr strin
 		}
 		defer L.Close()
 
-		table, err := p.ToLua(L, node)
+		err = p.ToLua(L, node)
 		if err != nil {
 			return content, modCount, matchCount, fmt.Errorf("error converting to Lua: %v", err)
 		}
-		L.SetGlobal("v", table)
 
 		err = L.DoString(BuildLuaScript(luaExpr))
 		if err != nil {
@@ -92,8 +91,17 @@ func (p *XMLProcessor) ProcessContent(content string, path string, luaExpr strin
 	return ConvertToNamedEntities(doc.OutputXML(true)), modCount, matchCount, nil
 }
 
+func (p *XMLProcessor) ToLua(L *lua.LState, data interface{}) error {
+	table, err := p.ToLuaTable(L, data)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	L.SetGlobal("v", table)
+	return nil
+}
+
 // ToLua converts XML node values to Lua variables
-func (p *XMLProcessor) ToLua(L *lua.LState, data interface{}) (lua.LValue, error) {
+func (p *XMLProcessor) ToLuaTable(L *lua.LState, data interface{}) (lua.LValue, error) {
 	// Check if data is an xmlquery.Node
 	node, ok := data.(*xmlquery.Node)
 	if !ok {
@@ -111,7 +119,7 @@ func (p *XMLProcessor) ToLua(L *lua.LState, data interface{}) (lua.LValue, error
 	// Add children if any
 	children := L.NewTable()
 	for child := node.FirstChild; child != nil; child = child.NextSibling {
-		childTable, err := p.ToLua(L, child)
+		childTable, err := p.ToLuaTable(L, child)
 		if err == nil {
 			children.Append(childTable)
 		}
diff --git a/processor/xml_test.go b/processor/xml_test.go
index 2d3a983..4cd07ee 100644
--- a/processor/xml_test.go
+++ b/processor/xml_test.go
@@ -1555,11 +1555,10 @@ func TestXMLToLua(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		// Convert to Lua
-		table, err := processor.ToLua(L, root)
+		err := processor.ToLua(L, root)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("Failed to convert to Lua: %v", err)
 		}
-		L.SetGlobal("v", table)
 
 		// Verify the result
 		luaTable := L.GetGlobal("v")
@@ -1606,11 +1605,10 @@ func TestXMLToLua(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		// Convert to Lua
-		table, err := processor.ToLua(L, street)
+		err := processor.ToLua(L, street)
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("Failed to convert to Lua: %v", err)
 		}
-		L.SetGlobal("v", table)
 
 		// Verify the result
 		luaTable := L.GetGlobal("v")