A xylene isomerization process includes introducing gas comprising hydrogen and a base to a reaction zone in which a catalyst comprising a Group VIII metal and a zeolite support resides. In one embodiment, the base may be formed in situ within the reaction zone from nitrogen and hydrogen that are introduced to the reaction zone. In another embodiment, the base is introduced directly to the reaction zone. The conditions in the reaction zone are effective to reduce the catalyst. A stream comprising C8 aromatics, e.g., xylenes and ethylbenzene may then be fed to the reaction zone containing the reduced catalyst. The reaction zone may be operated at conditions effective to isomerize the xylenes and hydrodealkylate the ethylbenzene. The xylene loss during the isomerization of the xylenes is lowered as a result of using the catalyst reduced in the presence of the gas comprising a base and hydrogen.