diff --git a/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/element/JingleContent.java b/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/element/JingleContent.java
index 171231a9b..4a73db0a0 100644
--- a/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/element/JingleContent.java
+++ b/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/element/JingleContent.java
@@ -145,6 +145,11 @@ public final class JingleContent implements FullyQualifiedElement {
         xml.optAttribute(DISPOSITION_ATTRIBUTE_NAME, disposition);
         xml.attribute(NAME_ATTRIBUTE_NAME, name);
         xml.optAttribute(SENDERS_ATTRIBUTE_NAME, senders);
+
+        if (description == null && transport == null) {
+            return xml.closeEmptyElement();
+        }
+
         xml.rightAngleBracket();
 
         xml.optAppend(description);
diff --git a/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleContentTest.java b/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleContentTest.java
index 45904af4e..946ae95e8 100644
--- a/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleContentTest.java
+++ b/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleContentTest.java
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ public class JingleContentTest extends SmackTestSuite {
         assertEquals(content1.toXML().toString(), builder.build().toXML().toString());
 
         String xml =
-                "<content xmlns='urn:xmpp:jingle:1' creator='initiator' disposition='session' name='A name' senders='both'>" +
-                "</content>";
+                "<content xmlns='urn:xmpp:jingle:1' creator='initiator' disposition='session' name='A name' senders='both'/>";
         assertEquals(xml, content1.toXML().toString());
     }
 }