diff --git a/contact_list.js b/contact_list.js
index fe69e10d0..12b4571e9 100644
--- a/contact_list.js
+++ b/contact_list.js
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ var ContactList = (function (my) {
      */
     function createDisplayNameParagraph(displayName) {
         var p = document.createElement('p');
-        p.innerHTML = displayName;
+        p.innerText = displayName;
 
         return p;
     };
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ var ContactList = (function (my) {
         var contactName = $('#contactlist #' + resourceJid + '>p');
 
         if (contactName && displayName && displayName.length > 0)
-            contactName.html(displayName);
+            contactName.text(displayName);
     });
 
     my.setClickable = function(resourceJid, isClickable) {
diff --git a/util.js b/util.js
index 652b5b14c..daebfd914 100644
--- a/util.js
+++ b/util.js
@@ -46,6 +46,13 @@ var Util = (function (my) {
     my.escapeHtml = function (unsafeText) {
         return $('<div/>').text(unsafeText).html();
     };
+    
+    /**
+     * Escapes only tags from the given text.
+     */
+    my.escapeTags = function (unsafeText) {
+        return unsafeText.replace(/</g, '&lt;').replace(/>/g, '&gt;');
+    };
 
     /**
      * Returns the available video width.
diff --git a/videolayout.js b/videolayout.js
index 1f89ea99c..d8934beb1 100644
--- a/videolayout.js
+++ b/videolayout.js
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ var VideoLayout = (function (my) {
                     $('#editDisplayName').select();
 
                     var inputDisplayNameHandler = function (name) {
-                        if (nickname !== name) {
+                        if (name && nickname !== name) {
                             nickname = name;
                             window.localStorage.displayname = nickname;
                             connection.emuc.addDisplayNameToPresence(nickname);