diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/server/transform-server.js b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/server/transform-server.js
index 26371c16fa..dc07733d9e 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/server/transform-server.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/server/transform-server.js
@@ -1352,11 +1352,17 @@ const template_visitors = {
 			context.visit(node.fragment, state)
 		);
 
-		const body = b.block([
-			b.stmt(b.call('$.element', b.id('$$payload'), tag, b.thunk(attributes), b.thunk(children)))
-		]);
-
-		context.state.template.push(block_open, b.if(tag, body), block_close);
+		context.state.template.push(
+			b.stmt(
+				b.call(
+					'$.element',
+					b.id('$$payload'),
+					tag,
+					attributes.body.length > 0 && b.thunk(attributes),
+					children.body.length > 0 && b.thunk(children)
+				)
+			)
+		);
 
 		if (context.state.options.dev) {
 			context.state.template.push(b.stmt(b.call('$.pop_element')));
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/index.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/index.js
index d520edc019..926f3ec0d2 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/index.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/server/index.js
@@ -72,18 +72,24 @@ export function assign_payload(p1, p2) {
  * @param {() => void} children_fn
  * @returns {void}
  */
-export function element(payload, tag, attributes_fn, children_fn) {
-	payload.out += `<${tag} `;
-	attributes_fn();
-	payload.out += `>`;
-
-	if (!VoidElements.has(tag)) {
-		children_fn();
-		if (!RawTextElements.includes(tag)) {
-			payload.out += BLOCK_ANCHOR;
+export function element(payload, tag, attributes_fn = noop, children_fn = noop) {
+	payload.out += `<!---->`;
+
+	if (tag) {
+		payload.out += `<${tag} `;
+		attributes_fn();
+		payload.out += `>`;
+
+		if (!VoidElements.has(tag)) {
+			children_fn();
+			if (!RawTextElements.includes(tag)) {
+				payload.out += BLOCK_ANCHOR;
+			}
+			payload.out += `</${tag}>`;
 		}
-		payload.out += `</${tag}>`;
 	}
+
+	payload.out += `<!---->`;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/server-side-rendering/samples/head-svelte-components-raw-content/_expected.html b/packages/svelte/tests/server-side-rendering/samples/head-svelte-components-raw-content/_expected.html
index c382d388d8..290179a702 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/server-side-rendering/samples/head-svelte-components-raw-content/_expected.html
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/server-side-rendering/samples/head-svelte-components-raw-content/_expected.html
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 <!--[-->
-<!--[-->
+<!---->
 <title>lorem</title>
-<!--]-->
-<!--[-->
+<!---->
+<!---->
 <style>
 	.ipsum {
 		display: block;
 	}
 	</style>
-<!--]-->
-<!--[-->
+<!---->
+<!---->
 <script>
 	console.log(true);
 </script>
-<!--]-->
+<!---->
 <!--]-->
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/svelte-element/_expected/server/index.svelte.js b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/svelte-element/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
index e9dc078f3c..4a766f7de5 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/svelte-element/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/snapshot/samples/svelte-element/_expected/server/index.svelte.js
@@ -3,11 +3,5 @@ import * as $ from "svelte/internal/server";
 export default function Svelte_element($$payload, $$props) {
 	let { tag = 'hr' } = $$props;
 
-	$$payload.out += `<!--[-->`;
-
-	if (tag) {
-		$.element($$payload, tag, () => {}, () => {});
-	}
-
-	$$payload.out += `<!--]-->`;
+	$.element($$payload, tag);
 }
\ No newline at end of file