diff --git a/code/modules/persistence/graffiti.dm b/code/modules/persistence/graffiti.dm
index 539b7b7a3be..9f0a7c3a32d 100644
--- a/code/modules/persistence/graffiti.dm
+++ b/code/modules/persistence/graffiti.dm
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
 	..(newloc)
 	if(!isnull(_age))
 		graffiti_age = _age
-	message = _message
+	if(!isnull(_message))
+		message = _message
 	if(!isnull(author))
 		author = _author