diff --git a/themes/blueprint/templates/myresearch/editlist.phtml b/themes/blueprint/templates/myresearch/editlist.phtml
index e7d261851c90d703851e80353dba128815b094e2..cec75e6f2f23633290f9e3a7667a2ff2aa7b2c30 100644
--- a/themes/blueprint/templates/myresearch/editlist.phtml
+++ b/themes/blueprint/templates/myresearch/editlist.phtml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 <input id="list_title" type="text" name="title" value="<?=(isset($this->list['title'])?$this->escapeHtml($this->list['title']):''); ?>" size="50" 
   class="mainFocus <?=$this->jqueryValidation(array('required'=>'This field is required')) ?>"/>
 <label class="displayBlock" for="list_desc"><?=$this->transEsc('Description') ?></label>
-<textarea id="list_desc" name="desc" rows="3" cols="50"><?=$this->escapeHtml($this->list['description']) ?></textarea>
+<textarea id="list_desc" name="desc" rows="3" cols="50"><?=(isset($this->list['description'])?$this->escapeHtml($this->list['description']):'') ?></textarea>
 <fieldset>
   <legend><?=$this->transEsc('Access') ?></legend> 
   <input id="list_public_1" type="radio" name="public" value="1"<? if ($this->list->isPublic()): ?> checked="checked"<? endif; ?>/> <label for="list_public_1"><?=$this->transEsc('Public') ?></label>