diff --git a/pandora/item/models.py b/pandora/item/models.py
index d15b30f6..6f7e45b5 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 if v]
+        current_values = [unicodedata.normalize('NFKD', v) for v in current_values]
         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 21c98623..a006613c 100644
--- a/static/js/editPanel.js
+++ b/static/js/editPanel.js
@@ -412,9 +412,7 @@ pandora.ui.editPanel = function(isEmbed) {
 
         updateSmallTimelineURL();
         ui.edits[ui.edit].view == 'grid' && enableDragAndDrop();
-        if (!Ox.Focus.focusedElementIsInput()) {
-            that.gainFocus();
-        }
+        that.gainFocus();
     }
 
     function renderEdits() {