diff --git a/example.py b/example.py
index bba31a8..71979c5 100644
--- a/example.py
+++ b/example.py
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
+# coding=utf8
+
 import sleekxmpp
 import logging
 from optparse import OptionParser
 import time
 
+reload(sys)
+sys.setdefaultencoding('utf8')
+
 class Example(sleekxmpp.ClientXMPP):
 	
 	def __init__(self, jid, password):
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py b/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
index 26e513a..92f1f9a 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/basexmpp.py
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ from . stanza.error import Error
 import logging
 import threading
 
+import sys
+
+if sys.version_info < (3,0):
+	reload(sys)
+	sys.setdefaultencoding('utf8')
+
+
 def stanzaPlugin(stanza, plugin):
 	stanza.plugin_attrib_map[plugin.plugin_attrib] = plugin
 	stanza.plugin_tag_map["{%s}%s" % (plugin.namespace, plugin.name)] = plugin
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
index 480e960..7a5ba4a 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@ class JID(object):
 		if name == 'resource':
 			return self.jid.split('/', 1)[-1]
 		elif name == 'user':
-			return self.jid.split('@', 1)[0]
+			if '@' in self.jid:
+				return self.jid.split('@', 1)[0]
+			else:
+				return ''
 		elif name == 'server':
 			return self.jid.split('@', 1)[-1].split('/', 1)[0]
 		elif name == 'full':