diff --git a/code/modules/client/preference_setup/loadout/gear_tweaks.dm b/code/modules/client/preference_setup/loadout/gear_tweaks.dm
index 90e378fbb0..11e0f1f777 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preference_setup/loadout/gear_tweaks.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preference_setup/loadout/gear_tweaks.dm
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ var/datum/gear_tweak/custom_name/gear_tweak_free_name = new()
 		return
 	if(valid_custom_names)
 		return tgui_input_list(user, "Choose an item name.", "Character Preference", valid_custom_names, metadata)
-	return sanitize(input(user, "Choose the item's name. Leave it blank to use the default name.", "Item Name", metadata) as text|null, MAX_LNAME_LEN, extra = 0)
+	var/san_input = sanitize(input(user, "Choose the item's name. Leave it blank to use the default name.", "Item Name", metadata) as text|null, MAX_LNAME_LEN, extra = 0)
+	return san_input ? san_input : get_default()
 
 /datum/gear_tweak/custom_name/tweak_item(var/obj/item/I, var/metadata)
 	if(!metadata)
@@ -203,7 +204,8 @@ var/datum/gear_tweak/custom_desc/gear_tweak_free_desc = new()
 		return
 	if(valid_custom_desc)
 		return tgui_input_list(user, "Choose an item description.", "Character Preference",valid_custom_desc, metadata)
-	return sanitize(input(user, "Choose the item's description. Leave it blank to use the default description.", "Item Description", metadata) as message|null, extra = 0)
+	var/san_input = sanitize(input(user, "Choose the item's description. Leave it blank to use the default description.", "Item Description", metadata) as message|null, extra = 0)
+	return san_input ? san_input : get_default()
 
 /datum/gear_tweak/custom_desc/tweak_item(var/obj/item/I, var/metadata)
 	if(!metadata)
@@ -551,4 +553,4 @@ var/datum/gear_tweak/custom_desc/gear_tweak_free_desc = new()
 /datum/gear_tweak/implant_location/get_metadata(var/user, var/metadata)
 	return (tgui_input_list(user, "Select a bodypart for the implant to be implanted inside.", "Implant Location", bodypart_names_to_tokens || bodypart_tokens_to_names[BP_TORSO]))
 
-#undef LOADOUT_BAN_STRING
\ No newline at end of file
+#undef LOADOUT_BAN_STRING