diff --git a/webtools/bugzilla/Bugzilla/Config/Common.pm b/webtools/bugzilla/Bugzilla/Config/Common.pm
index 4ca48b83974..ee6e9fe476d 100644
--- a/webtools/bugzilla/Bugzilla/Config/Common.pm
+++ b/webtools/bugzilla/Bugzilla/Config/Common.pm
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ sub check_shadowdb {
 
 sub check_urlbase {
     my ($url) = (@_);
-    if ($url !~ m:^http.*/$:) {
+    if ($url && $url !~ m:^http.*/$:) {
         return "must be a legal URL, that starts with http and ends with a slash.";
     }
     return "";
diff --git a/webtools/bugzilla/Bugzilla/Config/Core.pm b/webtools/bugzilla/Bugzilla/Config/Core.pm
index 21b97485209..738c28fe20d 100644
--- a/webtools/bugzilla/Bugzilla/Config/Core.pm
+++ b/webtools/bugzilla/Bugzilla/Config/Core.pm
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ sub get_param_list {
   {
    name => 'urlbase',
    type => 't',
-   default => 'http://you-havent-visited-editparams.cgi-yet/',
+   default => '',
    checker => \&check_urlbase
   },