diff --git a/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub.erl b/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub.erl
index 7bc9b151e..9b4c9c54f 100644
--- a/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub.erl
+++ b/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub.erl
@@ -2409,7 +2409,7 @@ unsubscribe_node(Host, Node, From, Subscriber, SubId) ->
 %%<li>The item contains more than one payload element or the namespace of the root payload element does not match the configured namespace for the node.</li>
 %%<li>The request does not match the node configuration.</li>
 %%</ul>
-publish_item(Host, ServerHost, Node, Publisher, "", Payload) ->
+publish_item(Host, ServerHost, Node, Publisher, <<>>, Payload) ->
     %% if publisher does not specify an ItemId, the service MUST generate the ItemId
     publish_item(Host, ServerHost, Node, Publisher, uniqid(), Payload);
 publish_item(Host, ServerHost, Node, Publisher, ItemId, Payload) ->
diff --git a/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub_odbc.erl b/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub_odbc.erl
index a6b7a5dff..0ec5e0ab1 100644
--- a/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub_odbc.erl
+++ b/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub_odbc.erl
@@ -2204,7 +2204,7 @@ unsubscribe_node(Host, Node, From, Subscriber, SubId) ->
 %%<li>The item contains more than one payload element or the namespace of the root payload element does not match the configured namespace for the node.</li>
 %%<li>The request does not match the node configuration.</li>
 %%</ul>
-publish_item(Host, ServerHost, Node, Publisher, "", Payload) ->
+publish_item(Host, ServerHost, Node, Publisher, <<>>, Payload) ->
     %% if publisher does not specify an ItemId, the service MUST generate the ItemId
     publish_item(Host, ServerHost, Node, Publisher, uniqid(), Payload);
 publish_item(Host, ServerHost, Node, Publisher, ItemId, Payload) ->
diff --git a/src/mod_pubsub/pubsub_odbc.patch b/src/mod_pubsub/pubsub_odbc.patch
index 9ed708b37..2053393a7 100644
--- a/src/mod_pubsub/pubsub_odbc.patch
+++ b/src/mod_pubsub/pubsub_odbc.patch
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
---- mod_pubsub.erl	2011-02-09 14:26:03.000000000 +0100
-+++ mod_pubsub_odbc.erl	2011-02-09 16:31:15.000000000 +0100
+--- mod_pubsub.erl	2011-02-21 12:07:31.000000000 +0100
++++ mod_pubsub_odbc.erl	2011-02-21 12:07:50.000000000 +0100
 @@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
  %%% 6.2.3.1, 6.2.3.5, and 6.3. For information on subscription leases see
  %%% XEP-0060 section 12.18.