diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
index b7f5baacf..a184479e4 100755
--- a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class Reddit(Templated):
     def __init__(self, space_compress = True, nav_menus = None, loginbox = True,
                  infotext = '', content = None, short_description='', title = '', robots = None, 
                  show_sidebar = True, footer = True, srbar = True, page_classes = None,
-                 show_wiki_actions = False, extra_js_config = {}, **context):
+                 show_wiki_actions = False, extra_js_config = None, **context):
         Templated.__init__(self, **context)
         self.title          = title
         self.short_description = short_description
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/template_helpers.py b/r2/r2/lib/template_helpers.py
index 3ac083f07..eaa2ca7ee 100755
--- a/r2/r2/lib/template_helpers.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/template_helpers.py
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def s3_https_if_secure(url):
          replace = "https://%s/" % s3_direct_url
     return url.replace("http://", replace)
 
-def js_config(extra_config={}):
+def js_config(extra_config=None):
     config = {
         # is the user logged in?
         "logged": c.user_is_loggedin and c.user.name,
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ def js_config(extra_config={}):
         "static_root": static(''),
     }
 
-    config.update(extra_config)
+    if extra_config:
+        config.update(extra_config)
 
     return config
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/templates/utils.html b/r2/r2/templates/utils.html
index bdc110bf1..040a669fc 100755
--- a/r2/r2/templates/utils.html
+++ b/r2/r2/templates/utils.html
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ ${unsafe(txt)}
 </%def>
 
 
-<%def name="js_setup(extra_config={})">
+<%def name="js_setup(extra_config=None)">
   <script type="text/javascript" id="config">
     r.setup(${unsafe(json.dumps(js_config(extra_config)))})
   </script>