diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/button.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/button.js
index 6bfb711..862d488 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/button.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/button.js
@@ -38,10 +38,11 @@ define(["notebook/js/widget"], function(){
         //          Frontent -> Frontend Sync
         update : function(){
             var description = this.model.get('description');
-            if (description.length==0) {
-                this.$el.html(' '); // Preserve button height
+            description.replace(' ', ' ')
+            if (description.length == 0) {
+                this.$el.html(' '); // Preserve button height
             } else {
-                this.$el.html(description);
+                this.$el.html(this.model.get('description'));
             }
             
             return IPython.WidgetView.prototype.update.call(this);
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/selection.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/selection.js
index d515fb0..159649e 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/selection.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/selection.js
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ define(["notebook/js/widget"], function(){
         update : function(){
 
             var selected_item_text = this.model.get('value');
-            selected_item_text.replace(' ', '');
-            if (selected_item_text == '') {
+            selected_item_text.replace(' ', ' ');
+            if (selected_item_text.length == 0) {
                 this.$droplabel.html(' ');
             } else {
                 this.$droplabel.html(this.model.get('value'));