diff --git a/pandora/item/views.py b/pandora/item/views.py
index 6e2dece2..62d33d22 100644
--- a/pandora/item/views.py
+++ b/pandora/item/views.py
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ def find(request, data):
                 elif p == 'timesaccessed':
                     r[p] = m.sort.timesaccessed
                 else:
-                    r[p] = m.json.get(p, '')
+                    r[p] = m.json.get(p)
             if 'clip_qs' in query:
                 r['clips'] = get_clips(query['clip_qs'].filter(item=m))
             return r
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ def find(request, data):
             if m:
                 m = json.loads(m, object_hook=ox.django.fields.from_json)
                 for p in _p:
-                    r[p] = m.get(p, '')
+                    r[p] = m.get(p)
             if 'clip_qs' in query:
                 r['clips'] = get_clips(query['clip_qs'].filter(item__public_id=m['id']))
             return r
diff --git a/static/js/browser.js b/static/js/browser.js
index 9a29c90a..f36fed67 100644
--- a/static/js/browser.js
+++ b/static/js/browser.js
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ pandora.ui.browser = function() {
                 } else {
                     // fixme: this is duplicated many times
                     format = pandora.getSortKeyData(sortKey).format;
-                    if (format) {
+                    if (Ox.isUndefined(data[sortKey]) || Ox.isNull(data[sortKey])) {
+                        info = '';
+                    } else if (format) {
                         info = (
                             /^color/.test(format.type.toLowerCase()) ? Ox.Theme : Ox
                         )['format' + Ox.toTitleCase(format.type)].apply(