diff --git a/src/webapp/grampsdb/views.py b/src/webapp/grampsdb/views.py
index 892d4d5f2..c79516630 100644
--- a/src/webapp/grampsdb/views.py
+++ b/src/webapp/grampsdb/views.py
@@ -439,8 +439,8 @@ def view_person_detail(request, view, handle, action="view"):
             except:
                 name = Name(person=person, preferred=True)
             primary_surname = name.surname_set.get(primary=True)
-            default_data = {"surname": primary_surname.surname, 
-                            "prefix": primary_surname.prefix,
+            default_data = {"surname": "XX" or primary_surname.surname, 
+                            "prefix": primary_surname.prefix or "prefix",
                             "suffix": name.suffix or "suffix",
                             "first_name": name.first_name,
                             "name_type": name.name_type,
diff --git a/src/webapp/utils.py b/src/webapp/utils.py
index 2116fff87..368487aa2 100644
--- a/src/webapp/utils.py
+++ b/src/webapp/utils.py
@@ -522,7 +522,10 @@ def render(formfield, user, action, test=False, truetext=""):
     if action == "view":
         if (not user.is_authenticated() and not test) or user.is_authenticated():
             fieldname = formfield.name # 'surname'
-            retval = str(getattr(formfield.form.model, fieldname))
+            try:
+                retval = str(getattr(formfield.form.model, fieldname))
+            except:
+                retval = "???" # formfield._data()
         else:
             retval = truetext
     else: