diff --git a/pandora/place/views.py b/pandora/place/views.py
index f3d176b87..083871170 100644
--- a/pandora/place/views.py
+++ b/pandora/place/views.py
@@ -40,6 +40,17 @@ def addPlace(request):
     existing_names = []
     existing_geoname = ''
     name = data.pop('name')
+    if name == '':
+        _exists = True
+        name = 'Untitled'
+        n = 0
+        while _exists:
+            _exists = models.Place.objects.filter(defined=True,
+                                name_find__icontains=u'|%s|'%name).count() > 0
+            if _exists:
+                name = 'Untitled [%s]' %n
+            n += 1
+
     names = [name] + data.get('alternativeNames', [])
     for name in names:
         if models.Place.objects.filter(defined=True,
diff --git a/static/js/pandora/eventsDialog.js b/static/js/pandora/eventsDialog.js
index 7ac884a0b..9c189f75d 100644
--- a/static/js/pandora/eventsDialog.js
+++ b/static/js/pandora/eventsDialog.js
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ pandora.ui.eventsDialog = function() {
                         });
                     },
                     events: result.data.items,
+                    hasMatches: true,
                     height: height,
+                    mode: pandora.site.calendar == 'auto' ? 'add' : 'define',
                     removeEvent: function(event, callback) {
                         pandora.api.removeEvent(event, function(result) {
                             Ox.Request.clearCache(); // fixme: remove
diff --git a/static/js/pandora/placesDialog.js b/static/js/pandora/placesDialog.js
index d6d065e74..9ddb561c3 100644
--- a/static/js/pandora/placesDialog.js
+++ b/static/js/pandora/placesDialog.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ pandora.ui.placesDialog = function(options) {
             getMatches: function(names, callback) {
                 // fixme: the results of this are of course
                 // not identical to actual place matches
+                names.length == 0 && callback(0);
                 var key = pandora.site.layers.filter(function(layer) {
                         return layer.type == 'place' || layer.hasPlaces;
                     }).map(function(layer) {
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ pandora.ui.placesDialog = function(options) {
                     callback(result.data.items);
                 });
             },
+            hasMatches: true, // FIXME: getMatches is enough
             height: height - 48,
             mode: pandora.site.map == 'auto' ? 'add' : 'define',
             names: pandora.hasPlacesLayer ? function(callback) {
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ pandora.ui.placesDialog = function(options) {
                     callback(result);
                 });
             },
-            selected: options ? options.id : void 0,
+            selected: options ? options.id : '',
             showControls: pandora.user.ui.showMapControls,
             showLabels: pandora.user.ui.showMapLabels,
             showTypes: true,