diff --git a/kike.c b/kike.c
index 45dd02b..df30ec0 100644
--- a/kike.c
+++ b/kike.c
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@ client_close_link (struct client *c, const char *reason)
 	// that a/ we ignore any successive messages, and b/ that the connection
 	// is killed after the write buffer is transferred and emptied.
 	client_send (c, "ERROR :Closing Link: %s[%s] (%s)",
-		c->nickname ? c->nickname : "",
+		c->nickname ? c->nickname : "*",
 		c->hostname /* TODO host IP? */, reason);
 	c->closing_link = true;
 
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ static void
 irc_make_reply (struct client *c, int id, va_list ap, struct str *output)
 {
 	str_append_printf (output, ":%s %03d %s ",
-		c->ctx->server_name, id, c->nickname ? c->nickname : "");
+		c->ctx->server_name, id, c->nickname ? c->nickname : "*");
 	str_append_vprintf (output,
 		irc_get_text (c->ctx, id, g_default_replies[id]), ap);
 }