diff --git a/modules/UI/UI.js b/modules/UI/UI.js
index 9a39b85b2..36197f98e 100644
--- a/modules/UI/UI.js
+++ b/modules/UI/UI.js
@@ -536,6 +536,10 @@ UI.updateUserRole = user => {
  * @param {string} status - The new status.
  */
 UI.updateUserStatus = (user, status) => {
+    if (!status) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     let displayName = user.getDisplayName();
     messageHandler.participantNotification(
         displayName, '', 'connected', "dialOut.statusMessage",
diff --git a/resources/prosody-plugins/mod_muc_poltergeist.lua b/resources/prosody-plugins/mod_muc_poltergeist.lua
index 2078e7495..8e59d0c4a 100644
--- a/resources/prosody-plugins/mod_muc_poltergeist.lua
+++ b/resources/prosody-plugins/mod_muc_poltergeist.lua
@@ -181,6 +181,9 @@ prosody.events.add_handler("pre-jitsi-authentication", function(session)
         -- we will mark it with ignore tag
         local nick = string.sub(username, 0, 8);
         if (have_poltergeist_occupant(room, nick)) then
+            -- notify that user connected using the poltergeist
+            update_poltergeist_occupant_status(
+                room, nick, "connected");
             remove_poltergeist_occupant(room, nick, true);
         end