diff --git a/app/helpers/media_helper.rb b/app/helpers/media_helper.rb
index 8dbdf4902..317c9eed6 100644
--- a/app/helpers/media_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/media_helper.rb
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def edit_or_show_medium_path(medium)
   def external_link_description_not_empty(medium)
     # Uses link display name if not empty, otherwise falls back to the
     # link url itself.
-    return medium.external_link_description.empty?\
+    return medium.external_link_description.blank?\
       ? medium.external_reference_link : medium.external_link_description
   end
 end