--- loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2007/08/21 23:34:38	1.907
+++ loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2007/08/29 22:19:24	1.908
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # TCP networking package
 #
-# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.907 2007/08/21 23:34:38 albertel Exp $
+# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.908 2007/08/29 22:19:24 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -6696,10 +6696,11 @@ sub metadata {
 		 # only ws inside the tag, and not in default, so use default
 		 # as value
 			    $metaentry{':'.$unikey}=$default;
-			} else {
-		  # either something interesting inside the tag or default
-                  # uninteresting
+			} elsif ( $internaltext =~ /\S/ ) {
+		  # something interesting inside the tag
 			    $metaentry{':'.$unikey}=$internaltext;
+			} else {
+		  # no interesting values, don't set a default
 			}
 # end of not-a-package not-a-library import
 		    }