diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions_template.php b/phpBB/includes/functions_template.php
index dc7507add6..4e5b46c3f7 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions_template.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions_template.php
@@ -242,14 +242,14 @@ class template_compile
 		// transform vars prefixed by L_ into their language variable pendant if nothing is set within the tpldata array
 		if (strpos($text_blocks, '{L_') !== false)
 		{
-			$text_blocks = preg_replace('#\{L_([a-z0-9\-_]*)\}#is', "<?php echo ((isset(\$this->_rootref['L_\\1'])) ? \$this->_rootref['L_\\1'] : ((isset(\$user->lang['\\1'])) ? \$user->lang['\\1'] : '{ ' . ucfirst(strtolower(str_replace('_', ' ', '\\1'))) . ' }')); ?>", $text_blocks);
+			$text_blocks = preg_replace('#\{L_([a-z0-9\-_]*)\}#is', "<?php echo ((isset(\$this->_rootref['L_\\1'])) ? \$this->_rootref['L_\\1'] : ((isset(\$user->lang['\\1'])) ? \$user->lang['\\1'] : '{ \\1 }')); ?>", $text_blocks);
 		}
 
 		// Handle addslashed language variables prefixed with LA_
 		// If a template variable already exist, it will be used in favor of it...
 		if (strpos($text_blocks, '{LA_') !== false)
 		{
-			$text_blocks = preg_replace('#\{LA_([a-z0-9\-_]*)\}#is', "<?php echo ((isset(\$this->_rootref['LA_\\1'])) ? \$this->_rootref['LA_\\1'] : ((isset(\$this->_rootref['L_\\1'])) ? addslashes(\$this->_rootref['L_\\1']) : ((isset(\$user->lang['\\1'])) ? addslashes(\$user->lang['\\1']) : '{ ' . ucfirst(strtolower(str_replace('_', ' ', '\\1'))) . ' }'))); ?>", $text_blocks);
+			$text_blocks = preg_replace('#\{LA_([a-z0-9\-_]*)\}#is', "<?php echo ((isset(\$this->_rootref['LA_\\1'])) ? \$this->_rootref['LA_\\1'] : ((isset(\$this->_rootref['L_\\1'])) ? addslashes(\$this->_rootref['L_\\1']) : ((isset(\$user->lang['\\1'])) ? addslashes(\$user->lang['\\1']) : '{ \\1 }'))); ?>", $text_blocks);
 		}
 
 		// Handle remaining varrefs