diff --git a/core/src/main/java/fr/labri/gumtree/io/ActionsIoUtils.java b/core/src/main/java/fr/labri/gumtree/io/ActionsIoUtils.java
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/fr/labri/gumtree/io/ActionsIoUtils.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/fr/labri/gumtree/io/ActionsIoUtils.java
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ public final class ActionsIoUtils {
 				Tree dst = mappings.getDst(src);

 				writeTreePos(w, true, src);

 				writeTreePos(w, false, dst);

-				w.writeEmptyElement("before");

 			} else if (a instanceof Insert) {

 				Tree dst = a.getNode();

 				if (dst.isRoot()) writeInsertPos(w, true, new int[] {0, 0});

@@ -94,7 +93,6 @@ public final class ActionsIoUtils {
 					else writeInsertPos(w, true, dst.getParent().getChildren().get(idx -1).getLcPosEnd());

 				}

 				writeTreePos(w, false, dst);

-				w.writeEmptyElement("after");

 			} else if (a instanceof Delete) {

 				Tree src = a.getNode();

 				writeTreePos(w, true, src);
fixed spurious before and after elements.