diff --git a/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub.erl b/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub.erl
index 4f388fe08..84b9f5e2e 100644
--- a/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub.erl
+++ b/src/mod_pubsub/mod_pubsub.erl
@@ -2535,14 +2535,14 @@ add_opt(Key, Value, Opts) ->
 	end).
 
 -define(SET_LIST_XOPT(Opt, Val),
-	set_xoption(Opts, add_opt(Opt, list_to_atom(Val), NewOpts))).
+	set_xoption(Opts, add_opt(Opt, Val, NewOpts))).
 
 set_xoption([], NewOpts) ->
     NewOpts;
 set_xoption([{"FORM_TYPE", _} | Opts], NewOpts) ->
     set_xoption(Opts, NewOpts);
 set_xoption([{"pubsub#roster_groups_allowed", Value} | Opts], NewOpts) ->
-    ?SET_LIST_XOPT(roster_groups_allowed, Value);
+    ?SET_LIST_XOPT(roster_groups_allowed, []);  % XXX: waiting for EJAB-659 to be solved
 set_xoption([{"pubsub#deliver_payloads", [Val]} | Opts], NewOpts) ->
     ?SET_BOOL_XOPT(deliver_payloads, Val);
 set_xoption([{"pubsub#deliver_notifications", [Val]} | Opts], NewOpts) ->