diff --git a/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/StringUtils.java b/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/StringUtils.java
index f578df74e..cd3b375f5 100644
--- a/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/StringUtils.java
+++ b/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/StringUtils.java
@@ -105,9 +105,6 @@ public class StringUtils {
         if (atIndex + 1 > XMPPAddress.length()) {
             return "";
         }
-        if (atIndex < 0) {
-            atIndex = 0;
-        }
         int slashIndex = XMPPAddress.indexOf("/");
         if (slashIndex > 0) {
             return XMPPAddress.substring(atIndex + 1, slashIndex);