diff --git a/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/js/customFormWithAutocomplete.js b/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/js/customFormWithAutocomplete.js
index ecc1e32a..93bb33d5 100644
--- a/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/js/customFormWithAutocomplete.js
+++ b/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/js/customFormWithAutocomplete.js
@@ -254,6 +254,10 @@ var customForm = {
         $(selectedObj).autocomplete({
             minLength: 3,
             source: function(request, response) {
+        		//Reset the URI of the input to one that says new uri required
+        		//That will be overwritten if value selected from autocomplete
+        		//We do this everytime the user types anything in the autocomplete box
+        		customForm.initDefaultNewURI(selectedObj);
                 if (request.term in customForm.acCache) {
                     // console.log('found term in cache');
                     response(customForm.acCache[request.term]);
@@ -442,7 +446,9 @@ var customForm = {
         $acSelector.parent("p").show();
         this.hideFields($acSelectionObj);
         $acSelectionObj.removeClass('userSelected');
-        $acSelectionObj.find("input.acUriReceiver").val('');
+        //Might be useful here to replace the uri with the default "new uri needs to be created" value
+        //$acSelectionObj.find("input.acUriReceiver").val('');
+        $acSelectionObj.find("input.acUriReceiver").val(customForm.newUriSentinel);
         $acSelectionObj.find("span").text('');
         $acSelectionObj.find("a.verifyMatch").attr('href', this.baseHref);
         $acSelector.val(''); 
@@ -553,6 +559,13 @@ var customForm = {
 	enableSubmit:function() {
 		this.button.removeAttr('disabled');
 		this.button.removeClass('disabledSubmit');
+	},
+	initDefaultNewURI:function(selectedObj) {
+		//get uri input for selected object and set to value indicating
+		//this will require a new uri when submitted if the uri is not replaced
+		//with one selected from autocomplete selection
+        var $acDiv = this.acSelections[$(selectedObj).attr('acGroupName')];
+        $acDiv.find("input").val(customForm.newUriSentinel);
 	}
 	
 };
diff --git a/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdvisingRelationship.ftl b/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdvisingRelationship.ftl
index 29b34a79..76a5fcd9 100644
--- a/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdvisingRelationship.ftl
+++ b/productMods/templates/freemarker/edit/forms/personHasAdvisingRelationship.ftl
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 <#-- $This file is distributed under the terms of the license in /doc/license.txt$ -->
-
+<#assign newUriSentinel = "" />
+<#if editConfigurationConstants?has_content>
+	<#assign newUriSentinel = editConfigurationConstants["NEW_URI_SENTINEL"] />
+</#if>
 <#-- this is in request.subject.name -->
 
 <#-- leaving this edit/add mode code in for reference in case we decide we need it -->
@@ -187,7 +190,8 @@ var customFormData  = {
     sparqlForAcFilter: '${sparqlForAcFilter}',
     sparqlQueryUrl: '${sparqlQueryUrl}',
     acFilterForIndividuals: ${acFilterForIndividuals},
-    baseHref: '${urls.base}/individual?uri='
+    baseHref: '${urls.base}/individual?uri=',
+    newUriSentinel : '${newUriSentinel}'
 };
 </script>
 
diff --git a/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/edit/n3editing/configuration/generators/PersonHasAdvisingRelationshipGenerator.java b/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/edit/n3editing/configuration/generators/PersonHasAdvisingRelationshipGenerator.java
index 56d8c20e..e91b7bc1 100644
--- a/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/edit/n3editing/configuration/generators/PersonHasAdvisingRelationshipGenerator.java
+++ b/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/edit/n3editing/configuration/generators/PersonHasAdvisingRelationshipGenerator.java
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@ public class PersonHasAdvisingRelationshipGenerator extends VivoBaseGenerator im
                                            degreeAssertion,
                                            firstNameAssertion,
                                            lastNameAssertion,
-                                           n3ForSubjAreaAssertion,
-                                           subjAreaLabelAssertion,
+                                           n3ForSubjAreaAssertion + "\n" + subjAreaLabelAssertion, //putting these statements together to prevent an empty label from generating a new URI
                                            n3ForStart, 
                                            n3ForEnd ) );