diff --git a/include/mitsuba/render/util.h b/include/mitsuba/render/util.h
index 4046f746..9cf76c4f 100644
--- a/include/mitsuba/render/util.h
+++ b/include/mitsuba/render/util.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ MTS_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
  */
 class MTS_EXPORT_RENDER UtilityServices {
 public:
-	virtual Scene *loadScene(const std::string &filename) = 0;
+	virtual ref<Scene> loadScene(const std::string &filename) = 0;
 };
 
 /** \brief Abstract utility class -- can be used to implement
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ protected:
 	virtual ~Utility() { }
 
 	/// Load a scene
-	inline Scene *loadScene(const std::string &fname) {
+	inline ref<Scene> loadScene(const std::string &fname) {
 		return m_utilityServices->loadScene(fname);
 	}
 private:
diff --git a/src/bsdfs/microfacet.cpp b/src/bsdfs/microfacet.cpp
index 0dae7323..84820bbd 100644
--- a/src/bsdfs/microfacet.cpp
+++ b/src/bsdfs/microfacet.cpp
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ public:
 
 	std::string toString() const {
 		std::ostringstream oss;
-		oss << "Microfacet["
+		oss << "Microfacet[" << endl
 			<< "  diffuseReflectance = " << indent(m_diffuseReflectance->toString()) << "," << endl
 			<< "  specularReflectance = " << indent(m_specularReflectance->toString()) << "," << endl
 			<< "  intIOR = " << m_intIOR << "," << endl
diff --git a/src/bsdfs/phong.cpp b/src/bsdfs/phong.cpp
index a7d27af1..a6077d75 100644
--- a/src/bsdfs/phong.cpp
+++ b/src/bsdfs/phong.cpp
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ public:
 
 	std::string toString() const {
 		std::ostringstream oss;
-		oss << "Phong["
+		oss << "Phong[" << endl
 			<< "  diffuseReflectance = " << indent(m_diffuseReflectance->toString()) << "," << endl
 			<< "  specularReflectance = " << indent(m_specularReflectance->toString()) << "," << endl
 			<< "  exponent = " << m_exponent << endl
diff --git a/src/bsdfs/roughmetal.cpp b/src/bsdfs/roughmetal.cpp
index df8b0dc3..c8102b07 100644
--- a/src/bsdfs/roughmetal.cpp
+++ b/src/bsdfs/roughmetal.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 MTS_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
 
 /**
- * Microfacet BRDF model based on
+ * Rough metal BRDF model based on
  * "Microfacet Models for Refraction through Rough Surfaces"
  * by Bruce Walter, Stephen R. Marschner, Hongsong Li
  * and Kenneth E. Torrance.
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ MTS_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
  * This is similar to the 'microfacet' implementation, but
  * the Fresnel term is now that of a conductor.
  */
-class Microfacet : public BSDF {
+class RoughMetal : public BSDF {
 public:
-	Microfacet(const Properties &props) 
+	RoughMetal(const Properties &props) 
 		: BSDF(props) {
 		m_specularReflectance = props.getSpectrum("specularReflectance", 
 			Spectrum(1.0f));
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ public:
 		m_usesRayDifferentials = false;
 	}
 
-	Microfacet(Stream *stream, InstanceManager *manager) 
+	RoughMetal(Stream *stream, InstanceManager *manager) 
 	 : BSDF(stream, manager) {
 		m_specularReflectance = Spectrum(stream);
 		m_alphaB = stream->readFloat();
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ public:
 		m_usesRayDifferentials = false;
 	}
 
-	virtual ~Microfacet() {
+	virtual ~RoughMetal() {
 		delete[] m_type;
 	}
 
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ public:
 
 	std::string toString() const {
 		std::ostringstream oss;
-		oss << "Microfacet["
+		oss << "RoughMetal[" << endl
 			<< "  specularReflectance=" << m_specularReflectance.toString() << "," << std::endl
 			<< ", ior=" << m_ior.toString() << "," << std::endl
 			<< ", k=" << m_k.toString() << "," << std::endl
@@ -172,6 +172,6 @@ private:
 	Spectrum m_ior, m_k;
 };
 
-MTS_IMPLEMENT_CLASS_S(Microfacet, false, BSDF)
-MTS_EXPORT_PLUGIN(Microfacet, "Microfacet BRDF");
+MTS_IMPLEMENT_CLASS_S(RoughMetal, false, BSDF)
+MTS_EXPORT_PLUGIN(RoughMetal, "Rough metal BRDF");
 MTS_NAMESPACE_END
diff --git a/src/mitsuba/mtsutil.cpp b/src/mitsuba/mtsutil.cpp
index 4b8010b3..11628c55 100644
--- a/src/mitsuba/mtsutil.cpp
+++ b/src/mitsuba/mtsutil.cpp
@@ -115,9 +115,31 @@ private:
 
 class UtilityServicesImpl : public UtilityServices {
 public:
-	Scene *loadScene(const std::string &filename) {
-		cout << "asdf" << endl;
-		return NULL;
+	ref<Scene> loadScene(const std::string &filename) {
+		/* Prepare for parsing scene descriptions */
+		FileResolver *resolver = FileResolver::getInstance();
+		SAXParser* parser = new SAXParser();
+		std::string schemaPath = resolver->resolveAbsolute("schema/scene.xsd");
+
+		/* Check against the 'scene.xsd' XML Schema */
+		parser->setDoSchema(true);
+		parser->setValidationSchemaFullChecking(true);
+		parser->setValidationScheme(SAXParser::Val_Always);
+		parser->setExternalNoNamespaceSchemaLocation(schemaPath.c_str());
+
+		std::map<std::string, std::string> parameters;
+		SceneHandler *handler = new SceneHandler(parameters);
+		parser->setDoNamespaces(true);
+		parser->setDocumentHandler(handler);
+		parser->setErrorHandler(handler);
+			
+		parser->parse(filename.c_str());
+		ref<Scene> scene = handler->getScene();
+
+		delete parser;
+		delete handler;
+
+		return scene;
 	}
 };