diff --git a/src/plugins/plugin_misc_invitations.py b/src/plugins/plugin_misc_invitations.py
index d23d577f..a03cbb40 100644
--- a/src/plugins/plugin_misc_invitations.py
+++ b/src/plugins/plugin_misc_invitations.py
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ class InvitationsPlugin(object):
         ## email
         language = kwargs.pop(u'language', None)
         if language is not None:
-            extra[u'language'] = language
+            extra[u'language'] = language.strip()
 
         if email is not None:
             extra[u'email'] = email
diff --git a/src/plugins/plugin_xep_0277.py b/src/plugins/plugin_xep_0277.py
index 574868f9..b89b93c6 100755
--- a/src/plugins/plugin_xep_0277.py
+++ b/src/plugins/plugin_xep_0277.py
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ class XEP_0277(object):
 
         # language
         try:
-            microblog_data[u'language'] = entry_elt[(C.NS_XML, u'lang')]
+            microblog_data[u'language'] = entry_elt[(C.NS_XML, u'lang')].strip()
         except KeyError:
             pass
 
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ class XEP_0277(object):
 
         ## language ##
         if u'language' in data:
-            entry_elt[(C.NS_XML, u'lang')] = data[u'language']
+            entry_elt[(C.NS_XML, u'lang')] = data[u'language'].strip()
 
         ## content and title ##
         synt = self.host.plugins["TEXT-SYNTAXES"]