diff --git a/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdviseeRelationship.ftl b/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdviseeRelationship.ftl
index d7fe9520..c9dce8b5 100644
--- a/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdviseeRelationship.ftl
+++ b/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdviseeRelationship.ftl
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ Set this flag on the input acUriReceiver where you would like this behavior to o
   
     <#assign degreeOpts = editConfiguration.pageData.degree />  
     <select name="degree" id="degreeUri" >
-      <option value="" <#if degreeValue = "">selected</#if>>${i18n().select_one}</option>        
+      <option value="${blankSentinel}" <#if degreeValue = "">selected</#if>>${i18n().select_one}</option>        
              <#list degreeOpts?keys as key>                 
       <option value="${key}" <#if degreeValue = key>selected</#if>>${degreeOpts[key]}</option>                    
       </#list>                                
diff --git a/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdvisorRelationship.ftl b/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdvisorRelationship.ftl
index 71dc39ac..159b1935 100644
--- a/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdvisorRelationship.ftl
+++ b/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdvisorRelationship.ftl
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ Set this flag on the input acUriReceiver where you would like this behavior to o
         </#list>
       <#else>
         <select id="selector" name="advisingRelType"  ${disabledVal} >
-            <option value="" selected="selected">${i18n().select_one}</option>                
+            <option value="${blankSentinel}" selected="selected">${i18n().select_one}</option>                
             <#list advisingRelTypeOpts?keys as key>             
                 <option value="${key}"  <#if advisingRelTypeValue = key>selected</#if>>${advisingRelTypeOpts[key]}</option>            
             </#list>