diff --git a/pontarius-xmpp.cabal b/pontarius-xmpp.cabal
--- a/pontarius-xmpp.cabal
+++ b/pontarius-xmpp.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:          pontarius-xmpp
-Version:       0.4.4
+Version:       0.4.5
 Cabal-Version: >= 1.9.2
 Build-Type:    Custom
 License:       BSD3
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@
                , xml-types
   HS-Source-Dirs: tests
   Other-modules: Tests.Arbitrary
+               , Tests.Arbitrary.Common
                , Tests.Arbitrary.Xml
                , Tests.Arbitrary.Xmpp
                , Tests.Parsers
diff --git a/tests/Tests/Arbitrary/Common.hs b/tests/Tests/Arbitrary/Common.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Tests/Arbitrary/Common.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+module Tests.Arbitrary.Common where
+
+import           Control.Applicative ((<$>))
+import           Data.Char
+import qualified Data.Text as Text
+import           Test.QuickCheck
+import           Test.QuickCheck.Instances ()
+
+shrinkText1 :: Text.Text -> [Text.Text]
+shrinkText1 txt = filter (not . Text.null) $ shrink txt
+
+shrinkTextMaybe :: Maybe Text.Text -> [Maybe Text.Text]
+shrinkTextMaybe mbtxt = filter (\mb -> mb /= Just (Text.empty)) $ shrink mbtxt
+
+genText1 :: Gen Text.Text
+genText1 = Text.pack <$> string1
+  where
+    string1 = listOf1 arbitrary `suchThat` (not . all isSpace)
+
+maybeGen :: Gen a -> Gen (Maybe a)
+maybeGen g = oneof [ return Nothing
+                   , Just <$> g
+                   ]
+
+shrinkMaybe :: (t -> [t]) -> Maybe t -> [Maybe t]
+shrinkMaybe _s Nothing = []
+shrinkMaybe s (Just x) = Nothing : map Just (s x)