diff --git a/pandora/item/models.py b/pandora/item/models.py
index 6f7e45b5..d15b30f6 100644
--- a/pandora/item/models.py
+++ b/pandora/item/models.py
@@ -1105,7 +1105,7 @@ class Item(models.Model):
                 for a in Entity.objects.filter(id__in=[ox.fromAZ(i) for i in current_values]).values('name')
             ]
         current_values = [ox.decode_html(ox.strip_tags(v.replace('<br>', ' '))) for v in current_values]
-        current_values = [unicodedata.normalize('NFKD', v) for v in current_values]
+        current_values = [unicodedata.normalize('NFKD', v) for v in current_values if v]
         self.update_facet_values(key, current_values)
 
     def update_facet_values(self, key, current_values):
diff --git a/static/js/editPanel.js b/static/js/editPanel.js
index a006613c..21c98623 100644
--- a/static/js/editPanel.js
+++ b/static/js/editPanel.js
@@ -412,7 +412,9 @@ pandora.ui.editPanel = function(isEmbed) {
 
         updateSmallTimelineURL();
         ui.edits[ui.edit].view == 'grid' && enableDragAndDrop();
-        that.gainFocus();
+        if (!Ox.Focus.focusedElementIsInput()) {
+            that.gainFocus();
+        }
     }
 
     function renderEdits() {