diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.rule/src/org/openhab/core/model/rule/Rules.xtext b/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.rule/src/org/openhab/core/model/rule/Rules.xtext
index 4eabd1ea84e..db9107f007b 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.rule/src/org/openhab/core/model/rule/Rules.xtext
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.core.model.rule/src/org/openhab/core/model/rule/Rules.xtext
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ VariableDeclaration:
 
 Rule:
 	'rule' name=(STRING|ID) ('uid' '=' uid=(STRING|ID))? ('[' tags+=(ID|STRING) (',' tags+=(ID|STRING))* ']')?
-	'when' eventtrigger+=EventTrigger ('or' eventtrigger+=EventTrigger)*
+	('when' eventtrigger+=EventTrigger ('or' eventtrigger+=EventTrigger)*)?
 	('but' 'only' 'if' conditions+=Condition ('and' conditions+=Condition)*)?
 	'then' script=XExpressionInClosure
 	'end'
diff --git a/itests/org.openhab.core.model.rule.tests/src/main/java/org/openhab/core/model/rule/runtime/DSLRuleProviderTest.java b/itests/org.openhab.core.model.rule.tests/src/main/java/org/openhab/core/model/rule/runtime/DSLRuleProviderTest.java
index c93e4b03e7c..4eeb1842977 100644
--- a/itests/org.openhab.core.model.rule.tests/src/main/java/org/openhab/core/model/rule/runtime/DSLRuleProviderTest.java
+++ b/itests/org.openhab.core.model.rule.tests/src/main/java/org/openhab/core/model/rule/runtime/DSLRuleProviderTest.java
@@ -116,7 +116,8 @@ public void testSimpleRules() {
                 "   logInfo('Test', 'Test')\n" + //
                 "end\n\n";
 
-        modelRepository.addOrRefreshModel(TESTMODEL_NAME, new ByteArrayInputStream(model.getBytes()));
+        modelRepository.addOrRefreshModel(TESTMODEL_NAME,
+                new ByteArrayInputStream(model.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)));
         Collection<Rule> actualRules = dslRuleProvider.getAll();
 
         assertThat(actualRules.size(), is(2));
@@ -131,7 +132,9 @@ public void testSimpleRules() {
         assertThat(firstRule.getTags(), hasItem("Test"));
         assertThat(firstRule.getTags(), hasItem("my test"));
         assertThat(firstRule.getConditions(), hasSize(0));
+        assertThat(firstRule.getTriggers(), hasSize(1));
         assertThat(firstRule.getTriggers().getFirst().getTypeUID(), is(SystemTriggerHandler.STARTLEVEL_MODULE_TYPE_ID));
+        assertThat(firstRule.getActions(), hasSize(1));
         assertThat(firstRule.getActions().getFirst().getTypeUID(), is(ScriptActionHandler.TYPE_ID));
         assertThat(firstRule.getActions().getFirst().getConfiguration()
                 .get(AbstractScriptModuleHandler.CONFIG_SCRIPT_TYPE), is(DSLScriptEngine.MIMETYPE_OPENHAB_DSL_RULE));
@@ -141,15 +144,46 @@ public void testSimpleRules() {
         assertThat(secondRule.getUID(), is("dslruletest-2"));
         assertThat(secondRule.getName(), is("Rule Number Two"));
         assertThat(secondRule.getTags(), hasSize(0));
+        assertThat(secondRule.getTriggers(), hasSize(1));
         assertThat(secondRule.getTriggers().getFirst().getTypeUID(), is(ItemStateTriggerHandler.CHANGE_MODULE_TYPE_ID));
         assertThat(secondRule.getTriggers().getFirst().getConfiguration().get(ItemStateTriggerHandler.CFG_ITEMNAME),
                 is("X"));
         assertThat(secondRule.getConditions(), hasSize(0));
+        assertThat(secondRule.getActions(), hasSize(1));
         assertThat(secondRule.getActions().getFirst().getTypeUID(), is(ScriptActionHandler.TYPE_ID));
         assertThat(secondRule.getActions().getFirst().getConfiguration()
                 .get(AbstractScriptModuleHandler.CONFIG_SCRIPT_TYPE), is(DSLScriptEngine.MIMETYPE_OPENHAB_DSL_RULE));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testNoTrigger() {
+        Collection<Rule> rules = dslRuleProvider.getAll();
+        assertThat(rules.size(), is(0));
+
+        String model = "rule RuleNoTrigger\n" + //
+                "then\n" + //
+                "   logInfo('Test', 'Test')\n" + //
+                "end\n\n";
+
+        modelRepository.addOrRefreshModel(TESTMODEL_NAME,
+                new ByteArrayInputStream(model.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)));
+        Collection<Rule> actualRules = dslRuleProvider.getAll();
+
+        assertThat(actualRules.size(), is(1));
+
+        Rule rule = actualRules.iterator().next();
+
+        assertThat(rule.getUID(), is("dslruletest-1"));
+        assertThat(rule.getName(), is("RuleNoTrigger"));
+        assertThat(rule.getTags(), hasSize(0));
+        assertThat(rule.getConditions(), hasSize(0));
+        assertThat(rule.getTriggers(), hasSize(0));
+        assertThat(rule.getActions(), hasSize(1));
+        assertThat(rule.getActions().getFirst().getTypeUID(), is(ScriptActionHandler.TYPE_ID));
+        assertThat(rule.getActions().getFirst().getConfiguration().get(AbstractScriptModuleHandler.CONFIG_SCRIPT_TYPE),
+                is(DSLScriptEngine.MIMETYPE_OPENHAB_DSL_RULE));
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testAllTriggers() {
         Collection<Rule> rules = dslRuleProvider.getAll();
@@ -378,7 +412,8 @@ public void testVars() {
                 "   logInfo('Test', 'Test')\n" + //
                 "end\n\n";
 
-        modelRepository.addOrRefreshModel(TESTMODEL_NAME, new ByteArrayInputStream(model.getBytes()));
+        modelRepository.addOrRefreshModel(TESTMODEL_NAME,
+                new ByteArrayInputStream(model.getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)));
         Collection<Rule> actualRules = dslRuleProvider.getAll();
 
         assertThat(actualRules.size(), is(1));