diff --git a/nmap.cc b/nmap.cc
index 6ad87aade..f76d2599d 100644
--- a/nmap.cc
+++ b/nmap.cc
@@ -1766,9 +1766,11 @@ int nmap_main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
       /* I used to check that !currenths->weird_responses, but in some
 	 rare cases, such IPs CAN be port successfully scanned and even connected to */
       if (!(currenths->flags & HOST_UP)) {
-	log_write(LOG_XML, "<host>");
-	write_host_header(currenths);
-	log_write(LOG_XML, "</host>\n");
+	if (o.verbose) {
+	  log_write(LOG_XML, "<host>");
+	  write_host_header(currenths);
+	  log_write(LOG_XML, "</host>\n");
+	}
 	delete currenths;
 	o.numhosts_scanned++;
 	continue;