diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java
index a238d7ba0..0df6aa7a5 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/EssentialsPlayerListener.java
@@ -81,12 +81,8 @@ public class EssentialsPlayerListener implements Listener {
         if (user.isMuted()) {
             event.setCancelled(true);
 
-            if (user.getMuteReason().equals ("")) {
-                user.sendMessage(tl("voiceSilenced"));
-            }
-            else {
-                user.sendMessage(tl("voiceSilenced") + " " + tl("muteReason", user.getMuteReason ()));
-            }
+            user.sendMessage(tl("voiceSilenced") + (user.hasMuteReason() ?
+                    (" " + tl("muteReason", user.getMuteReason())) : ""));
 
             LOGGER.info(tl("mutedUserSpeaks", user.getName(), event.getMessage()));
         }
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
index acc4fd4b5..5dc9d4ba2 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ public abstract class UserData extends PlayerExtension implements IConf {
     }
 
     public boolean hasMuteReason(){
-        return getMuteReason().equals("");
+        return !getMuteReason().equals("");
     }
 
     private long muteTimeout;
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandseen.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandseen.java
index 6366649bf..601044f97 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandseen.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandseen.java
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ public class Commandseen extends EssentialsCommand {
             sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisJail", (user.getJailTimeout() > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getJailTimeout()) : tl("true"))));
         }
         if (user.isMuted()) {
-            throw new Exception(tl("whoisMuted", (user.getMuteTimeout() > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getMuteTimeout()) : tl("true"))) + (user.hasMuteReason() ?
+            sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisMuted", (user.getMuteTimeout() > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getMuteTimeout()) : tl("true"))) + (user.hasMuteReason() ?
                     (" " + tl("muteReason", user.getMuteReason())) : ""));
         }
         final String location = user.getGeoLocation();
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandwhois.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandwhois.java
index 876a0f58a..be4d65c78 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandwhois.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandwhois.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public class Commandwhois extends EssentialsCommand {
             sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisAFK", tl("false")));
         }
         sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisJail", (user.isJailed() ? user.getJailTimeout() > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getJailTimeout()) : tl("true") : tl("false"))));
-        throw new Exception(tl("voiceSilenced") + (user.hasMuteReason() ?
+        sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisMuted") + (user.hasMuteReason() ?
                 (" " + tl("muteReason", user.getMuteReason())) : ""));
     }