diff --git a/src/main/webapp/resources/js/directory.js b/src/main/webapp/resources/js/directory.js
index b16a1ad..869cc77 100644
--- a/src/main/webapp/resources/js/directory.js
+++ b/src/main/webapp/resources/js/directory.js
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ jlab.addRow = function() {
         }
     });
 };
-jlab.editRow = function(removeSync) {
+jlab.editRow = function() {
     var softwareId = $(".editable-row-table tr.selected-row").attr("data-id"),
         name = $("#row-name").val(),
         type = $("#row-type").val(),
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ jlab.removeRow = function() {
 
     request.fail(function(xhr, textStatus) {
         window.console && console.log('Unable to remove software; Text Status: ' + textStatus + ', Ready State: ' + xhr.readyState + ', HTTP Status Code: ' + xhr.status);
-        alert('Unable to Remove Server unavailable or unresponsive');
+        alert('Unable to Remove: Server unavailable or unresponsive');
     });
 
     request.always(function() {
@@ -169,14 +169,15 @@ $(document).on("dialogclose", "#table-row-dialog", function() {
     $("#row-repo").removeAttr("disabled");
 });
 $(document).on("click", "#open-edit-row-dialog-button", function() {
-    var $selectedRow = $(".editable-row-table tr.selected-row");
+    var $selectedRow = $(".editable-row-table tr.selected-row"),
+        topicCsv = $selectedRow.attr("data-topic-csv") || "";
     $("#row-name").val($selectedRow.attr("data-name"));
     $("#row-type").val($selectedRow.attr("data-type"));
     $("#row-description").val($selectedRow.attr("data-description"));
     $("#row-note").val($selectedRow.attr("data-note"));
     $("#row-maintainers").val($selectedRow.attr("data-maintainer-csv"));
     $("#row-repo").val($selectedRow.attr("data-repo-id"));
-    $("#row-topics").val($selectedRow.attr("data-topic-csv").split(",")).trigger('change');
+    $("#row-topics").val(topicCsv.split(",")).trigger('change');
     $("#row-url").val($selectedRow.attr("data-url"));
     $("#row-archived").val($selectedRow.attr("data-archived"));