diff --git a/tailbone/views/reports.py b/tailbone/views/reports.py
index 5a945f0c..9bf30a88 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/reports.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/reports.py
@@ -431,7 +431,8 @@ class ReportOutputView(ExportMasterView):
                 node.default = param.default
 
             # set docstring
-            helptext[param.name] = param.helptext
+            # nb. must avoid newlines, they cause some weird "blank page" error?!
+            helptext[param.name] = param.helptext.replace('\n', ' ')
 
             schema.add(node)