diff --git a/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0092/version.py b/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0092/version.py
index 46bb27f7..1ca6c15e 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0092/version.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/plugins/xep_0092/version.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class xep_0092(base_plugin):
 
         self.xmpp.register_handler(
                 Callback('Software Version',
-                         StanzaPath('iq@=get/software_version'),
+                         StanzaPath('iq@type=get/software_version'),
                          self._handle_version))
 
         register_stanza_plugin(Iq, Version)
diff --git a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
index 4f1189fd..8b538d29 100644
--- a/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
+++ b/sleekxmpp/xmlstream/stanzabase.py
@@ -991,13 +991,18 @@ class ElementBase(object):
         """
         return self.__class__(xml=copy.deepcopy(self.xml), parent=self.parent)
 
-    def __str__(self):
+    def __str__(self, top_level_ns=True):
         """
         Return a string serialization of the underlying XML object.
+
+        Arguments:
+            top_level_ns -- Display the top-most namespace.
+                            Defaults to True.
         """
+        stanza_ns = '' if top_level_ns else self.namespace
         return tostring(self.xml, xmlns='',
-                        stanza_ns=self.namespace,
-                        top_level=True)
+                        stanza_ns=stanza_ns,
+                        top_level = not top_level_ns)
 
     def __repr__(self):
         """
@@ -1198,12 +1203,19 @@ class StanzaBase(ElementBase):
         return self.__class__(xml=copy.deepcopy(self.xml),
                               stream=self.stream)
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        """Serialize the stanza's XML to a string."""
+    def __str__(self, top_level_ns=False):
+        """
+        Serialize the stanza's XML to a string.
+
+        Arguments:
+            top_level_ns -- Display the top-most namespace.
+                            Defaults to False.
+        """
+        stanza_ns = '' if top_level_ns else self.namespace
         return tostring(self.xml, xmlns='',
-                        stanza_ns=self.namespace,
+                        stanza_ns=stanza_ns,
                         stream=self.stream,
-                        top_level = True)
+                        top_level = not top_level_ns)
 
 
 # To comply with PEP8, method names now use underscores.