diff --git a/src/wuttaweb/forms/base.py b/src/wuttaweb/forms/base.py
index edd1e2d..504e012 100644
--- a/src/wuttaweb/forms/base.py
+++ b/src/wuttaweb/forms/base.py
@@ -1033,12 +1033,13 @@ class Form:
             # render static text if field not in deform/schema
             # TODO: need to abstract this somehow
             if self.model_instance:
-                html = str(self.model_instance[fieldname])
+                value = self.model_instance[fieldname]
+                html = str(value) if value is not None else ''
             else:
                 html = ''
 
         # mark all that as safe
-        html = HTML.literal(html)
+        html = HTML.literal(html or ' ')
 
         # render field label
         label = self.get_label(fieldname)