diff --git a/ckan/controllers/admin.py b/ckan/controllers/admin.py
index 128aae67afe..cb5e84b069b 100644
--- a/ckan/controllers/admin.py
+++ b/ckan/controllers/admin.py
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ def _get_config_form_items(self):
                   {'text': 'Maroon', 'value': '/base/css/maroon.css'},
                   {'text': 'Fuchsia', 'value': '/base/css/fuchsia.css'}]
         items = [
-            {'name': 'ckan.site_title', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Title'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-            {'name': 'ckan.main_css', 'control': 'select', 'options': styles, 'label': _('Style'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-            {'name': 'ckan.site_description', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Line'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-            {'name': 'ckan.site_logo', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Logo'), 'placeholder': _('')},
+            {'name': 'ckan.site_title', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Title'), 'placeholder': ''},
+            {'name': 'ckan.main_css', 'control': 'select', 'options': styles, 'label': _('Style'), 'placeholder': ''},
+            {'name': 'ckan.site_description', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Line'), 'placeholder': ''},
+            {'name': 'ckan.site_logo', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Logo'), 'placeholder': ''},
             {'name': 'ckan.site_about', 'control': 'markdown', 'label': _('About'), 'placeholder': _('About page text')},
             {'name': 'ckan.site_intro_text', 'control': 'markdown', 'label': _('Intro Text'), 'placeholder': _('Text on home page')},
             {'name': 'ckan.site_custom_css', 'control': 'textarea', 'label': _('Custom CSS'), 'placeholder': _('Customisable css inserted into the page header')},
diff --git a/ckan/model/package_relationship.py b/ckan/model/package_relationship.py
index 3ee5cd49a7f..9e2ce53e873 100644
--- a/ckan/model/package_relationship.py
+++ b/ckan/model/package_relationship.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 # which isn't the case for paster commands.
 try:
     from ckan.common import _
-    _('')
+    _()
 except:
     def _(txt):
         return txt
diff --git a/ckan/templates/macros/autoform.html b/ckan/templates/macros/autoform.html
index 5774875afd7..68460c3d6a7 100644
--- a/ckan/templates/macros/autoform.html
+++ b/ckan/templates/macros/autoform.html
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@
 Example
 
   {% set form_info = [
-      {'name': 'ckan.site_title', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Title'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-      {'name': 'ckan.main_css', 'control': 'select', 'options': styles, 'label': _('Style'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-      {'name': 'ckan.site_description', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Line'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-      {'name': 'ckan.site_logo', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Logo'), 'placeholder': _('')},
+      {'name': 'ckan.site_title', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Title'), 'placeholder': ''},
+      {'name': 'ckan.main_css', 'control': 'select', 'options': styles, 'label': _('Style'), 'placeholder': ''},
+      {'name': 'ckan.site_description', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Line'), 'placeholder': ''},
+      {'name': 'ckan.site_logo', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Logo'), 'placeholder': ''},
       {'name': 'ckan.site_about', 'control': 'markdown', 'label': _('About'), 'placeholder': _('About page text')},
       {'name': 'ckan.site_intro_text', 'control': 'markdown', 'label': _('Intro Text'), 'placeholder': _('Text on home page')},
       {'name': 'ckan.site_custom_css', 'control': 'textarea', 'label': _('Custom CSS'), 'placeholder': _('Customisable css inserted into the page header')},
diff --git a/doc/templating.rst b/doc/templating.rst
index 3f3294bca54..858f70971a3 100644
--- a/doc/templating.rst
+++ b/doc/templating.rst
@@ -491,10 +491,10 @@ Example
 ::
 
     {% set form_info = [
-        {'name': 'ckan.site_title', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Title'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-        {'name': 'ckan.main_css', 'control': 'select', 'options': styles, 'label': _('Style'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-        {'name': 'ckan.site_description', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Line'), 'placeholder': _('')},
-        {'name': 'ckan.site_logo', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Logo'), 'placeholder': _('')},
+        {'name': 'ckan.site_title', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Title'), 'placeholder': ''},
+        {'name': 'ckan.main_css', 'control': 'select', 'options': styles, 'label': _('Style'), 'placeholder': ''},
+        {'name': 'ckan.site_description', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Line'), 'placeholder': ''},
+        {'name': 'ckan.site_logo', 'control': 'input', 'label': _('Site Tag Logo'), 'placeholder': ''},
         {'name': 'ckan.site_about', 'control': 'markdown', 'label': _('About'), 'placeholder': _('About page text')},
         {'name': 'ckan.site_intro_text', 'control': 'markdown', 'label': _('Intro Text'), 'placeholder': _('Text on home page')},
         {'name': 'ckan.site_custom_css', 'control': 'textarea', 'label': _('Custom CSS'), 'placeholder': _('Customisable css inserted into the page header')},