diff --git handlers/views_handler_filter.inc handlers/views_handler_filter.inc
index 313495f..b602ba3 100644
--- handlers/views_handler_filter.inc
+++ handlers/views_handler_filter.inc
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class views_handler_filter extends views_handler {
       );
       $form['expose']['operator'] = array(
         '#type' => 'textfield',
-        '#default_value' => $this->options['expose']['operator'],
+        '#default_value' => (!empty($this->options['expose']['operator']) ? $this->options['expose']['operator'] : $this->options['id'] . '_op'),
         '#title' => t('Operator identifier'),
         '#size' => 40,
         '#description' => t('This will appear in the URL after the ? to identify this operator.'),
@@ -283,6 +283,12 @@ class views_handler_filter extends views_handler {
     }
   }
 
+  function expose_submit($form, &$form_state) {
+    if (!$form_state['values']['options']['expose']['use_operator']) {
+      unset($form_state['values']['options']['expose']['operator']);
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Provide default options for exposed filters.