diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Bookmark.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Bookmark.java
index 70d852fe8..209056485 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Bookmark.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Bookmark.java
@@ -60,16 +60,7 @@ public class Bookmark extends Element implements ListItem {
 
 	@Override
 	public Jid getJid() {
-		final String jid = this.getAttribute("jid");
-		if (jid != null) {
-			try {
-				return Jid.fromString(jid);
-			} catch (final InvalidJidException e) {
-				return null;
-			}
-		} else {
-			return null;
-		}
+		return this.getAttributeAsJid("jid");
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/AbstractParser.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/AbstractParser.java
index c80346b7d..39cbff4f1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/AbstractParser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/AbstractParser.java
@@ -53,12 +53,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractParser {
 
 	protected void updateLastseen(final Element packet, final Account account,
 			final boolean presenceOverwrite) {
-        Jid from;
-        try {
-            from = Jid.fromString(packet.getAttribute("from")).toBareJid();
-        } catch (final InvalidJidException e) {
-			return;
-        }
+        Jid from = packet.getAttributeAsJid("from");
         String presence = from == null || from.isBareJid() ? "" : from.getResourcepart();
 		Contact contact = account.getRoster().getContact(from);
 		long timestamp = getTimestamp(packet);
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xml/Element.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xml/Element.java
index c25b90175..9455d9e8f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xml/Element.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xml/Element.java
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 package eu.siacs.conversations.xml;
 
+import android.util.Log;
+
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Hashtable;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import eu.siacs.conversations.Config;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.utils.XmlHelper;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.xmpp.jid.InvalidJidException;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.xmpp.jid.Jid;
@@ -111,6 +114,7 @@ public class Element {
             try {
                 return Jid.fromString(jid);
             } catch (final InvalidJidException e) {
+				Log.e(Config.LOGTAG, "could not parse jid " + jid);
                 return null;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xmpp/stanzas/AbstractStanza.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xmpp/stanzas/AbstractStanza.java
index 9e0514729..1a49b45e3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xmpp/stanzas/AbstractStanza.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xmpp/stanzas/AbstractStanza.java
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package eu.siacs.conversations.xmpp.stanzas;
 
 import eu.siacs.conversations.xml.Element;
-import eu.siacs.conversations.xmpp.jid.InvalidJidException;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.xmpp.jid.Jid;
 
 public class AbstractStanza extends Element {
@@ -11,24 +10,11 @@ public class AbstractStanza extends Element {
 	}
 
 	public Jid getTo() {
-		try {
-			return Jid.fromString(getAttribute("to"));
-		} catch (final InvalidJidException e) {
-			return null;
-		}
+		return getAttributeAsJid("to");
 	}
 
 	public Jid getFrom() {
-		String from = getAttribute("from");
-		if (from == null) {
-			return null;
-		} else {
-			try {
-				return Jid.fromString(from);
-			} catch (final InvalidJidException e) {
-				return null;
-			}
-		}
+		return getAttributeAsJid("from");
 	}
 
 	public String getId() {