diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Contact.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Contact.java
index e182a9331..b9657a5bb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Contact.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Contact.java
@@ -256,13 +256,15 @@ public class Contact implements ListItem, Blockable {
 	}
 
 	public boolean setSystemName(String systemName) {
-		String old = this.systemName;
+		final String old = getDisplayName();
 		this.systemName = systemName;
-		return (old == null && systemName != null) || (old != null && !old.equals(systemName));
+		return !old.equals(getDisplayName());
 	}
 
-	public void setPresenceName(String presenceName) {
+	public boolean setPresenceName(String presenceName) {
+		final String old = getDisplayName();
 		this.presenceName = presenceName;
+		return !old.equals(getDisplayName());
 	}
 
 	public Uri getSystemAccount() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
index 28cabc756..d501bb964 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
@@ -280,12 +280,13 @@ public class MessageParser extends AbstractParser implements OnMessagePacketRece
 				}
 			}
 		} else if ("http://jabber.org/protocol/nick".equals(node)) {
-			Element i = items.findChild("item");
-			Element nick = i == null ? null : i.findChild("nick", "http://jabber.org/protocol/nick");
-			if (nick != null && nick.getContent() != null) {
+			final Element i = items.findChild("item");
+			final String nick = i == null ? null : i.findChildContent("nick", Namespace.NICK);
+			if (nick != null) {
 				Contact contact = account.getRoster().getContact(from);
-				contact.setPresenceName(nick.getContent());
-				mXmppConnectionService.getAvatarService().clear(account);
+				if (contact.setPresenceName(nick)) {
+					mXmppConnectionService.getAvatarService().clear(contact);
+				}
 				mXmppConnectionService.updateConversationUi();
 				mXmppConnectionService.updateAccountUi();
 			}
@@ -721,10 +722,12 @@ public class MessageParser extends AbstractParser implements OnMessagePacketRece
 			parseEvent(event, original.getFrom(), account);
 		}
 
-		String nick = packet.findChildContent("nick", "http://jabber.org/protocol/nick");
+		final String nick = packet.findChildContent("nick", Namespace.NICK);
 		if (nick != null) {
 			Contact contact = account.getRoster().getContact(from);
-			contact.setPresenceName(nick);
+			if (contact.setPresenceName(nick)) {
+				mXmppConnectionService.getAvatarService().clear(contact);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/PresenceParser.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/PresenceParser.java
index 3c123e00f..72dffc4da 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/PresenceParser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/PresenceParser.java
@@ -187,7 +187,9 @@ public class PresenceParser extends AbstractParser implements
 		final Contact contact = account.getRoster().getContact(from);
 		if (type == null) {
 			final String resource = from.isBareJid() ? "" : from.getResourcepart();
-			contact.setPresenceName(packet.findChildContent("nick", "http://jabber.org/protocol/nick"));
+			if (contact.setPresenceName(packet.findChildContent("nick", Namespace.NICK))) {
+				mXmppConnectionService.getAvatarService().clear(contact);
+			}
 			Avatar avatar = Avatar.parsePresence(packet.findChild("x", "vcard-temp:x:update"));
 			if (avatar != null && (!contact.isSelf() || account.getAvatar() == null)) {
 				avatar.owner = from.toBareJid();
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xml/Namespace.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xml/Namespace.java
index f5cbf5747..f63b5f331 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xml/Namespace.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/xml/Namespace.java
@@ -15,4 +15,5 @@ public final class Namespace {
 	public static final String TLS = "urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-tls";
 	public static final String PUBSUB_PUBLISH_OPTIONS = "http://jabber.org/protocol/pubsub#publish-options";
 	public static final String PUBSUB_ERROR = "http://jabber.org/protocol/pubsub#errors";
+	public static final String NICK = "http://jabber.org/protocol/nick";
 }