diff --git a/includes/fields.inc b/includes/fields.inc
index f379f5e..7f852d3 100644
--- a/includes/fields.inc
+++ b/includes/fields.inc
@@ -75,27 +75,30 @@ function ctools_fields_get_field_formatter_settings_form($field, $formatter_type
     $conf['formatter_settings'] += $formatter['settings'];
   }
   $function = $formatter['module'] . '_field_formatter_settings_form';
+
+  $instance = ctools_fields_fake_field_instance($field['field_name'], $view_mode, $formatter_type, $conf['formatter_settings']);
   if (function_exists($function)) {
-    $instance = ctools_fields_fake_field_instance($field['field_name'], $view_mode, $formatter_type, $conf['formatter_settings']);
     $settings_form = $function($field, $instance, $view_mode, $form, $form_state);
-    if ($settings_form) {
-      // Allow other modules to alter the formatter settings form.
-      $context = array(
-        'module' => $formatter['module'],
-        'formatter' => $formatter,
-        'field' => $field,
-        'instance' => $instance,
-        'view_mode' => $view_mode,
-        'form' => $form,
-        'form_state' => $form_state,
-      );
-      drupal_alter('field_formatter_settings_form', $settings_form, $context);
-
-      $settings_form['#tree'] = TRUE;
-      $form['ctools_field_list']['#value'][] = $field;
-      $form += $settings_form;
-    }
   }
+  if (empty($settings_form)) {
+    $settings_form = array();
+  }
+
+  // Allow other modules to alter the formatter settings form.
+  $context = array(
+    'module' => $formatter['module'],
+    'formatter' => $formatter,
+    'field' => $field,
+    'instance' => $instance,
+    'view_mode' => $view_mode,
+    'form' => $form,
+    'form_state' => $form_state,
+  );
+  drupal_alter('field_formatter_settings_form', $settings_form, $context);
+
+  $settings_form['#tree'] = TRUE;
+  $form['ctools_field_list']['#value'][] = $field;
+  $form += $settings_form;
 
   if (isset($field['cardinality']) && $field['cardinality'] != 1) {
     list($prefix, $suffix) = explode('@count', t('Skip the first @count item(s)'));