diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index eeee15632..16257a39e 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ The UI is now based on Bootstrap4 and Flexbox is used extensively.
 * Removed  `xhr_user_search` in favor of only accepting `xhr_user_search_url` as configuration option.
 * The data returned from the `xhr_user_search_url` must now include the user's
   `jid` instead of just an `id`.
+- New configuration setting [nickname](https://conversejs.org/docs/html/configurations.html#nickname)
 
 ### Bugfixes
 
diff --git a/docs/source/configuration.rst b/docs/source/configuration.rst
index 3bafb6b5f..5c9c9db47 100644
--- a/docs/source/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/source/configuration.rst
@@ -992,6 +992,15 @@ muc_show_join_leave
 Determines whether Converse.js will show info messages inside a chatroom
 whenever a user joins or leaves it.
 
+nickname
+--------
+
+* Default: ``undefined``
+
+This setting allows you to specify the nickname for the current user.
+The nickname will be included in presence requests to other users and will also
+be used as the default nickname when entering MUC chatrooms.
+
 notify_all_room_messages
 ------------------------
 
diff --git a/src/converse-core.js b/src/converse-core.js
index 8e7af3809..43fff40e9 100644
--- a/src/converse-core.js
+++ b/src/converse-core.js
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@
             ],
             message_carbons: true,
             message_storage: 'session',
+            nickname: undefined,
             password: undefined,
             prebind_url: null,
             priority: 0,
@@ -903,8 +904,8 @@
                 if (message && message !== "") {
                     pres.c("status").t(message).up();
                 }
-                const nick = _converse.xmppstatus.get('fullname');
-                if (nick && nick !== "") {
+                const nick = _converse.xmppstatus.get('nickname') || _converse.xmppstatus.get('fullname');
+                if (nick) {
                     pres.c('nick', {'xmlns': Strophe.NS.NICK}).t(nick).up();
                 }
                 _converse.connection.send(pres);
@@ -1131,8 +1132,7 @@
                     if (item.getAttribute('action') === 'add') {
                         _converse.roster.addAndSubscribe(
                             item.getAttribute('jid'),
-                            null,
-                            _converse.xmppstatus.get('fullname')
+                            _converse.xmppstatus.get('nickname') || _converse.xmppstatus.get('fullname')
                         );
                     }
                 });
@@ -1159,7 +1159,7 @@
                         contact.subscribe(message);
                     }
                 }
-                this.addContact(jid, name, groups, attributes).then(handler, handler);
+                this.addContactToRoster(jid, name, groups, attributes).then(handler, handler);
             },
 
             sendContactAddIQ (jid, name, groups, callback, errback) {
@@ -1180,7 +1180,7 @@
                 _converse.connection.sendIQ(iq, callback, errback);
             },
 
-            addContact (jid, name, groups, attributes) {
+            addContactToRoster (jid, name, groups, attributes) {
                 /* Adds a RosterContact instance to _converse.roster and
                  * registers the contact on the XMPP server.
                  * Returns a promise which is resolved once the XMPP server has
@@ -1216,7 +1216,7 @@
                 });
             },
 
-            subscribeBack (bare_jid) {
+            subscribeBack (bare_jid, presence) {
                 const contact = this.get(bare_jid);
                 if (contact instanceof _converse.RosterContact) {
                     contact.authorize().subscribe();
@@ -1227,7 +1227,8 @@
                             contact.authorize().subscribe();
                         }
                     }
-                    this.addContact(bare_jid, '', [], {'subscription': 'from'}).then(handler, handler);
+                    const nickname = _.get(sizzle(`nick[xmlns="${Strophe.NS.NICK}"]`, presence).pop(), 'textContent', null);
+                    this.addContactToRoster(bare_jid, nickname, [], {'subscription': 'from'}).then(handler, handler);
                 }
             },
 
@@ -1340,13 +1341,13 @@
                  * Note: this method gets completely overridden by converse-vcard.js
                  */
                 const bare_jid = Strophe.getBareJidFromJid(presence.getAttribute('from')),
-                      nick_el = presence.querySelector(`nick[xmlns="${Strophe.NS.NICK}"]`);
+                      nickname = _.get(sizzle(`nick[xmlns="${Strophe.NS.NICK}"]`, presence).pop(), 'textContent', null);
                 const user_data = {
                     'jid': bare_jid,
                     'subscription': 'none',
                     'ask': null,
                     'requesting': true,
-                    'fullname': nick_el && nick_el.textContent || bare_jid,
+                    'fullname': nickname
                 };
                 this.create(user_data);
                 _converse.emit('contactRequest', user_data);
@@ -1365,7 +1366,7 @@
                 }
                 if (_converse.auto_subscribe) {
                     if ((!contact) || (contact.get('subscription') !== 'to')) {
-                        this.subscribeBack(bare_jid);
+                        this.subscribeBack(bare_jid, presence);
                     } else {
                         contact.authorize();
                     }
@@ -1485,6 +1486,7 @@
                 return {
                     "status":  _converse.default_state,
                     "jid": _converse.bare_jid,
+                    "nickname": _converse.nickname,
                     "vcard_updated": null
                 }
             },
diff --git a/src/converse-muc-views.js b/src/converse-muc-views.js
index 8eeb62135..750b9e42b 100644
--- a/src/converse-muc-views.js
+++ b/src/converse-muc-views.js
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
 
                     if (!this.roomspanel.model.get('nick')) {
                         this.roomspanel.model.save({
-                            nick: Strophe.getNodeFromJid(_converse.bare_jid)
+                            nick: _converse.xmppstatus.get('nickname') || Strophe.getNodeFromJid(_converse.bare_jid)
                         });
                     }
                     _converse.emit('roomsPanelRendered');
diff --git a/src/converse-muc.js b/src/converse-muc.js
index 651cd3314..dd0db0c7c 100644
--- a/src/converse-muc.js
+++ b/src/converse-muc.js
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@
                           'affiliation': null,
                           'connection_status': converse.ROOMSTATUS.DISCONNECTED,
                           'name': '',
+                          'nick': _converse.xmppstatus.get('nickname'),
                           'description': '',
                           'features_fetched': false,
                           'roomconfig': {},