diff --git a/cps/db.py b/cps/db.py
index c908e1f2..a22215b0 100644
--- a/cps/db.py
+++ b/cps/db.py
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ class CalibreDB(threading.Thread):
             match = title_pat.search(title)
             if match:
                 prep = match.group(1)
-                title = title.replace(prep, '') + ', ' + prep
+                title = title[len(prep):] + ', ' + prep
             return title.strip()
 
         conn = conn or self.session.connection().connection.connection
diff --git a/cps/templates/layout.html b/cps/templates/layout.html
index 170535c9..4e529eea 100644
--- a/cps/templates/layout.html
+++ b/cps/templates/layout.html
@@ -228,7 +228,9 @@
             $(document).ready(function() {
               var inp = $('#query').first()
               var val = inp.val()
-              inp.val('').blur().focus().val(val)
+              if (val.length) {
+                  inp.val('').blur().focus().val(val)
+              }
             });
         });
     </script>