diff --git a/src/irc/core/irc-commands.c b/src/irc/core/irc-commands.c
index cac63016..fdad5d6e 100644
--- a/src/irc/core/irc-commands.c
+++ b/src/irc/core/irc-commands.c
@@ -511,10 +511,13 @@ static void server_send_away(IRC_SERVER_REC *server, const char *reason)
 	if (!IS_IRC_SERVER(server))
 		return;
 
-	g_free_not_null(server->away_reason);
-	server->away_reason = g_strdup(reason);
+	if (*reason != '\0' || server->usermode_away) {
+		g_free_and_null(server->away_reason);
+                if (*reason != '\0')
+			server->away_reason = g_strdup(reason);
 
-	irc_send_cmdv(server, "AWAY :%s", reason);
+		irc_send_cmdv(server, "AWAY :%s", reason);
+	}
 }
 
 /* SYNTAX: AWAY [-one | -all] [<reason>] */