diff --git a/ext/user/theme.php b/ext/user/theme.php
index 32ccbf05..9714f267 100644
--- a/ext/user/theme.php
+++ b/ext/user/theme.php
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class UserPageTheme extends Themelet {
 
 	public function display_signup_page($page) {
 		global $config;
-		$tac = $config->get_string("login_tac");
+		$tac = $config->get_string("login_tac", "");
 
 		$tfe = new TextFormattingEvent($tac);
 		send_event($tfe);