diff --git a/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/SwidTagGateway.java b/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/SwidTagGateway.java
index 43e4d7f85..a0e9a4c36 100644
--- a/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/SwidTagGateway.java
+++ b/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/SwidTagGateway.java
@@ -712,12 +712,13 @@ private Document signXMLDocument(Document doc) {
      * @return an XMLObject containing the timestamp element
      */
     private XMLObject createXmlTimestamp(Document doc, XMLSignatureFactory sigFactory) {
-        Element timeStampElement = doc.createElement("TimeStamp");
+        Element timeStampElement = null;
         switch (timestampFormat.toUpperCase()) {
             case "RFC3852":
                 try {
                     byte[] counterSignature = Base64.getEncoder().encode(
                             Files.readAllBytes(Paths.get(timestampArgument)));
+                    timeStampElement = doc.createElementNS(SwidTagConstants.RFC3852_NS, "TimeStamp");
                     timeStampElement.setAttributeNS("http://www.w3.org/2000/xmlns/",
                             "xmlns:" + SwidTagConstants.RFC3852_PFX,
                             SwidTagConstants.RFC3852_NS);
@@ -729,6 +730,7 @@ private XMLObject createXmlTimestamp(Document doc, XMLSignatureFactory sigFactor
                 }
                 break;
             case "RFC3339":
+                timeStampElement = doc.createElementNS(SwidTagConstants.RFC3339_NS, "TimeStamp");
                 timeStampElement.setAttributeNS("http://www.w3.org/2000/xmlns/",
                         "xmlns:" + SwidTagConstants.RFC3339_PFX,
                         SwidTagConstants.RFC3339_NS);