diff --git a/update-firewall-source.py b/update-firewall-source.py
index dc89c60..0be4fbe 100644
--- a/update-firewall-source.py
+++ b/update-firewall-source.py
@@ -477,10 +477,8 @@ def write_new_fwd_direct_xml(
         config_obj: configparser.ConfigParser()) -> bool:
     global arg_fw_rule_data
 
-    fwd_direct_xml_str = lxml.etree.tostring(arg_fw_rule_data,
-                                             pretty_print=True,
-                                             encoding="UTF-8",
-                                             xml_declaration=True).decode()
+    fwd_direct_xml_str = get_xml_str_repr()
+
     try:
         with open(config_obj.get(configparser.DEFAULTSECT, "firewalld_direct_abs"), "r+") as fwd_file_handle:
             log.info(f"Writing new firewalld direct config ...")