diff --git a/project/include/Display.h b/project/include/Display.h
index 5b069a127..d5e2bfe26 100644
--- a/project/include/Display.h
+++ b/project/include/Display.h
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ public:
    virtual void setMultitouchActive(bool inActive) {  }
    virtual bool getMultitouchActive() {  return false; }
 
-   virtual const char *getJoystickName(int id) { return ""; }
+   virtual const char *getJoystickName(int id) { return NULL; }
 
    Matrix GetFullMatrix(bool inStageScaling);
    bool FinishEditOnEnter();
diff --git a/project/src/common/ExternalInterface.cpp b/project/src/common/ExternalInterface.cpp
index 6b1c773ce..4292daafe 100644
--- a/project/src/common/ExternalInterface.cpp
+++ b/project/src/common/ExternalInterface.cpp
@@ -1267,7 +1267,7 @@ value lime_stage_get_joystick_name(value inStage, value inId)
    if (AbstractToObject(inStage,stage))
    {
       const char *joystickName = stage->getJoystickName(val_int(inId));
-      return alloc_string(joystickName);
+      if (joystickName != NULL) return alloc_string(joystickName);
    }
    #endif
    return alloc_null();