diff --git a/select_or_other.field_widget.inc b/select_or_other.field_widget.inc
index ea65e46..574a854 100644
--- a/select_or_other.field_widget.inc
+++ b/select_or_other.field_widget.inc
@@ -370,8 +370,7 @@ function select_or_other_field_widget_settings_form($field, $instance) {
 function select_or_other_field_create_instance($instance) {
   if (
     empty($instance['widget']['settings']['available_options']) &&
-    empty($instance['widget']['settings']['available_options_php']) &&
-    empty($instance['widget']['settings']['other'])
+    empty($instance['widget']['settings']['available_options_php'])
   ) {
     return;
   }
@@ -394,8 +393,13 @@ function select_or_other_field_create_instance($instance) {
     select_or_other_tt($tkey . ':#allowed_values:' . htmlentities(trim($option)), $option, array('update' => TRUE));
   }
 
-  select_or_other_tt($tkey . ':other', $settings['other'], array('update' => TRUE));
-  select_or_other_tt($tkey . ':other_title', $settings['other_title'], array('update' => TRUE));
+  if (!empty($settings['other'])) {
+    select_or_other_tt($tkey . ':other', $settings['other'], array('update' => TRUE));
+  }
+
+  if (!empty($settings['other_title'])) {
+    select_or_other_tt($tkey . ':other_title', $settings['other_title'], array('update' => TRUE));
+  }
 }
 
 /**