diff --git a/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/muc/packet/MUCItem.java b/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/muc/packet/MUCItem.java
index c1ee5ae28..8da0efb78 100644
--- a/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/muc/packet/MUCItem.java
+++ b/smack-extensions/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/muc/packet/MUCItem.java
@@ -169,8 +169,11 @@ public class MUCItem implements NamedElement {
         xml.optAttribute("role", getRole());
         xml.rightAngleBracket();
         xml.optElement("reason", getReason());
-        if (getActor() != null) {
-            xml.halfOpenElement("actor").attribute("jid", getActor()).closeEmptyElement();
+        if (getActor() != null || getActorNick() != null) {
+            xml.halfOpenElement("actor");
+            xml.optAttribute("jid", getActor());
+            xml.optAttribute("nick", getActorNick());
+            xml.closeEmptyElement();
         }
         xml.closeElement(Stanza.ITEM);
         return xml;