diff --git a/modules/comment/comment.module b/modules/comment/comment.module
index ae9278c..e58cdf3 100644
--- a/modules/comment/comment.module
+++ b/modules/comment/comment.module
@@ -1068,8 +1068,8 @@ function comment_links($comment, $node) {
         'html' => TRUE,
       );
     }
-    else {
-      $links['comment-forbidden']['title'] = theme('comment_post_forbidden', array('node' => $node));
+    elseif ($comment_forbidden = theme('comment_post_forbidden', array('node' => $node))) {
+      $links['comment-forbidden']['title'] = $comment_forbidden;
       $links['comment-forbidden']['html'] = TRUE;
     }
   }