diff --git a/code/datums/datumvars.dm b/code/datums/datumvars.dm
index 2f13eec65b..98ec542749 100644
--- a/code/datums/datumvars.dm
+++ b/code/datums/datumvars.dm
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 		return
 
 	var/title = ""
-	var/refid = "[REF(D)]"
+	var/refid = REF(D)
 	var/icon/sprite
 	var/hash
 
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@
 				var/val
 				if (IS_NORMAL_LIST(L) && !isnum(key))
 					val = L[key]
-				if (!val)
+				if (isnull(val))	// we still want to display non-null false values, such as 0 or ""
 					val = key
 					key = i