diff --git a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/AbstractRuleViolation.java b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/AbstractRuleViolation.java
index 333598c762..36463dda3a 100644
--- a/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/AbstractRuleViolation.java
+++ b/pmd/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/rule/AbstractRuleViolation.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractRuleViolation implements RuleViolation {
 		String xpath = rule.getStringProperty(Rule.VIOLATION_SUPPRESS_XPATH_PROPERTY);
 		if (xpath != null) {
 		    try {
-			List<Node> children = node.findChildNodesWithXPath(xpath);
+			List<? extends Node> children = node.findChildNodesWithXPath(xpath);
 			if (children != null && !children.isEmpty()) {
 			    suppressed = true;
 			}