diff --git a/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/packet/StreamError.java b/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/packet/StreamError.java
index 631926d2f..1ac8f65c9 100644
--- a/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/packet/StreamError.java
+++ b/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/packet/StreamError.java
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ public class StreamError extends AbstractError implements PlainStreamElement {
     public XmlStringBuilder toXML() {
         XmlStringBuilder xml = new XmlStringBuilder();
         xml.openElement(ELEMENT);
-        xml.rightAngleBracket().append(condition.toString()).xmlnsAttribute(NAMESPACE).closeEmptyElement();
+        xml.halfOpenElement(condition.toString()).xmlnsAttribute(NAMESPACE).closeEmptyElement();
         addDescriptiveTextsAndExtensions(xml);
         xml.closeElement(ELEMENT);
         return xml;