diff --git a/epan/dissectors/packet-xmpp.c b/epan/dissectors/packet-xmpp.c
index bea9bab5c9..ae98bd2702 100644
--- a/epan/dissectors/packet-xmpp.c
+++ b/epan/dissectors/packet-xmpp.c
@@ -423,13 +423,18 @@ dissect_xmpp(tvbuff_t *tvb, packet_info *pinfo, proto_tree *tree, void* data _U_
     }
 
     col_set_str(pinfo->cinfo, COL_PROTOCOL, "XMPP");
-
     col_clear(pinfo->cinfo, COL_INFO);
 
     /*if tree == NULL then xmpp_item and xmpp_tree will also NULL*/
     xmpp_item = proto_tree_add_item(tree, proto_xmpp, tvb, 0, -1, ENC_NA);
     xmpp_tree = proto_item_add_subtree(xmpp_item, ett_xmpp);
 
+    if ((tvb_reported_length(tvb) == 1) && tvb_get_guint8(tvb, 0) == ' ') {
+        /* RFC 6120 section 4.6.1 */
+        col_set_str(pinfo->cinfo, COL_INFO, "Whitespace Keepalive");
+        return tvb_captured_length(tvb);
+    }
+
     call_dissector_with_data(xml_handle, tvb, pinfo, xmpp_tree, NULL);
 
     /* If XML dissector is disabled, we can't do much */
@@ -523,9 +528,9 @@ dissect_xmpp(tvbuff_t *tvb, packet_info *pinfo, proto_tree *tree, void* data _U_
             xmpp_features(xmpp_tree, tvb, pinfo, packet);
         } else if (strcmp(packet->name, "starttls") == 0) {
             xmpp_starttls(xmpp_tree, tvb, pinfo, packet, xmpp_info);
-        }else if (strcmp(packet->name, "proceed") == 0) {
+        } else if (strcmp(packet->name, "proceed") == 0) {
             xmpp_proceed(xmpp_tree, tvb, pinfo, packet, xmpp_info);
-        }else {
+        } else {
             xmpp_proto_tree_show_first_child(xmpp_tree);
             expert_add_info_format(pinfo, xmpp_tree, &ei_xmpp_packet_unknown, "Unknown packet: %s", packet->name);
             col_set_str(pinfo->cinfo, COL_INFO, "UNKNOWN PACKET ");