diff --git a/lxc_net/templates/network.xml b/lxc_net/templates/network.xml
index 4a4201b..a35dc17 100644
--- a/lxc_net/templates/network.xml
+++ b/lxc_net/templates/network.xml
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 <network>
-  <name>{name}</name>
-  <uuid>{uuid}</uuid>
-  <bridge name='virbr{bridge_id}' stp='on' delay='0'/>
-  <mac address='{mac}'/>
-  <domain name='{name}'/>
-  <ip address='{addrv4}' netmask='{netmaskv4}'>
+  <name>{{ name }}</name>
+  <uuid>{{ uuid }}</uuid>
+  <bridge name='virbr{{ bridge_id }}' stp='on' delay='0'/>
+  <mac address='{{ mac }}'/>
+  <domain name='{{ name }}'/>
+  <ip address='{{ addrv4 }}' netmask='{{ netmaskv4 }}'>
   </ip>
-  <ip family='ipv6' address='{addrv6}' prefix='{prefixv6}'>
+  <ip family='ipv6' address='{{ addrv6 }}' prefix='{{ prefixv6 }}'>
   </ip>
 </network>
diff --git a/lxc_net/xml_template.py b/lxc_net/xml_template.py
index b678de2..b6508b3 100644
--- a/lxc_net/xml_template.py
+++ b/lxc_net/xml_template.py
@@ -1,16 +1,23 @@
 """ Reads an XML template from a file """
 
 import os
+import jinja2
 
 
 class XMLTemplate:
     """ Reads and instanciates a template from a file """
 
+    base_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
+    env = jinja2.Environment(
+        loader=jinja2.FileSystemLoader(base_path),
+        autoescape=jinja2.select_autoescape(
+            enabled_extensions=("xml"), default_for_string=True,
+        ),
+    )
+
     def __init__(self, path):
-        self.path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), path)
-        with open(self.path, "r") as handle:
-            self.template_str = handle.read()
+        self.template = self.env.get_template(path)
 
     def inst(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """ instanciates the template """
-        return self.template_str.format(*args, **kwargs)
+        return self.template.render(*args, **kwargs)