diff --git a/src/ChangeLog b/src/ChangeLog
index 35fff47a8f..14da15ca4f 100644
--- a/src/ChangeLog
+++ b/src/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2003-06-06  José Matos  <jamatos@fep.up.pt>
+
+	* buffer.C (makeDocBookFile): fix bug #821
+
 2003-06-06  Alfredo Braunstein  <abraunst@libero.it>
 
 	* BufferView_pimpl.C (dispatch): use Dialogs::visible
diff --git a/src/buffer.C b/src/buffer.C
index 258410f184..0562d3e7a8 100644
--- a/src/buffer.C
+++ b/src/buffer.C
@@ -1644,7 +1644,7 @@ void Buffer::makeDocBookFile(string const & fname, bool nice, bool only_body)
 
 		// environment tag closing
 		for (; depth > par->params().depth(); --depth) {
-			if (environment_inner[depth] != "!-- --") {
+			if (environment_inner[depth] != "!-- --" && !environment_inner[depth].empty()) {
 				item_name = "listitem";
 				sgml::closeTag(ofs, command_depth + depth, false, item_name);
 				if (environment_inner[depth] == "varlistentry")