diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/User.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/User.java
index 49b9d5120..44cc49ac1 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/User.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/User.java
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ public class User extends UserData implements Comparable<User>, IMessageRecipien
                 setMuteTimeout(0);
                 sendMessage(tl("canTalkAgain"));
                 setMuted(false);
-                setMuteReason ("");
+                setMuteReason(null);
                 return true;
             }
         }
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
index da73c6dfb..090326927 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public abstract class UserData extends PlayerExtension implements IConf {
         godmode = _getGodModeEnabled();
         muted = _getMuted();
         muteTimeout = _getMuteTimeout();
-        muteReason = _getMuteReason ();
+        muteReason = _getMuteReason();
         jailed = _getJailed();
         jailTimeout = _getJailTimeout();
         lastLogin = _getLastLogin();
@@ -518,27 +518,22 @@ public abstract class UserData extends PlayerExtension implements IConf {
     }
 
     public String getMuteReason() {
-        if (muteReason != null) {
-            return muteReason;
-        }
-        else {
-            return "";
-        }
+        return muteReason;
     }
 
     public void setMuteReason(String reason) {
-        if (reason.equals("")) {
-            config.removeProperty ("muteReason");
+        if (reason == null) {
+            config.removeProperty("muteReason");
             muteReason = null;
         } else {
             muteReason = reason;
-            config.setProperty ("muteReason", reason);
+            config.setProperty("muteReason", reason);
         }
         config.save();
     }
 
     public boolean hasMuteReason(){
-        return !getMuteReason().equals("");
+        return muteReason != null;
     }
 
     private long muteTimeout;
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandmute.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandmute.java
index 63567b5e3..ac59284d9 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandmute.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandmute.java
@@ -54,19 +54,19 @@ public class Commandmute extends EssentialsCommand {
                 String muteReason;
                 try {
                     muteTimestamp = DateUtil.parseDateDiff(time, true);
-                    muteReason = getFinalArg (args, 2);
+                    muteReason = getFinalArg(args, 2);
                 } catch (Exception e) {
-                    user.setMuted ((!user.getMuted ()));
-                    muteReason = getFinalArg (args, 1);
+                    user.setMuted((!user.getMuted()));
+                    muteReason = getFinalArg(args, 1);
                 }
 
-                user.setMuteReason (muteReason);
+                user.setMuteReason(muteReason.isEmpty() ? null : muteReason);
                 user.setMuted(true);
 
             } else {
                 user.setMuted(!user.getMuted());
-                if (!user.getMuted ()) {
-                    user.setMuteReason ("");
+                if (!user.getMuted()) {
+                    user.setMuteReason(null);
                 }
             }
             user.setMuteTimeout(muteTimestamp);
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public class Commandmute extends EssentialsCommand {
 
             if (muted) {
                 if (muteTimestamp > 0) {
-                    if (user.getMuteReason ().equals ("")) {
+                    if (!user.hasMuteReason()) {
                         sender.sendMessage(tl("mutedPlayerFor", user.getDisplayName(), muteTime));
                         user.sendMessage(tl("playerMutedFor", muteTime));
                     } else {
@@ -87,31 +87,26 @@ public class Commandmute extends EssentialsCommand {
                         user.sendMessage(tl("playerMutedForReason", muteTime, user.getMuteReason()));
                     }
                 } else {
-                    if (user.getMuteReason ().equals ("")) {
+                    if (!user.hasMuteReason()) {
                         sender.sendMessage(tl("mutedPlayer", user.getDisplayName()));
-                        /** Send the player a message, why they were muted **/
                         user.sendMessage(tl("playerMuted"));
-                    }
-                    else {
+                    } else {
                         sender.sendMessage(tl("mutedPlayerReason", user.getDisplayName(), user.getMuteReason()));
-                        /** Send the player a message, why they were muted **/
                         user.sendMessage(tl("playerMutedReason", user.getMuteReason()));
                     }
                 }
                 final String message;
                 if (muteTimestamp > 0) {
-                    if (user.getMuteReason ().equals ("")) {
+                    if (!user.hasMuteReason()) {
                         message = tl("muteNotifyFor", sender.getSender().getName(), user.getName(), muteTime);
-                    }
-                    else {
-                        message = (tl("muteNotifyForReason", sender.getSender().getName(), user.getName(), muteTime, user.getMuteReason()));
+                    } else {
+                        message = tl("muteNotifyForReason", sender.getSender().getName(), user.getName(), muteTime, user.getMuteReason());
                     }
                 } else {
-                    if (user.getMuteReason ().equals ("")) {
+                    if (!user.hasMuteReason()) {
                         message = tl("muteNotify", sender.getSender().getName(), user.getName());
-                    }
-                    else {
-                        message = (tl("muteNotifyReason", sender.getSender().getName(), user.getName(), user.getMuteReason()));
+                    } else {
+                        message = tl("muteNotifyReason", sender.getSender().getName(), user.getName(), user.getMuteReason());
                     }
                 }
                 server.getLogger().log(Level.INFO, message);
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandseen.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandseen.java
index afaf903ab..11c26ba4c 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandseen.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandseen.java
@@ -117,8 +117,12 @@ public class Commandseen extends EssentialsCommand {
             sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisJail", (user.getJailTimeout() > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getJailTimeout()) : tl("true"))));
         }
         if (user.isMuted()) {
-            sender.sendMessage(user.hasMuteReason() ? (tl("whoisMutedReason", (user.getMuteTimeout() > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getMuteTimeout()) : tl("true")), user.getMuteReason())) :
-                    tl("whoisMuted", (user.getMuteTimeout() > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getMuteTimeout()) : tl("true"))));
+            long muteTimeout = user.getMuteTimeout();
+            if (!user.hasMuteReason()) {
+                sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisMuted", (muteTimeout > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(muteTimeout) : tl("true"))));
+            } else {
+                sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisMutedReason", (muteTimeout > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(muteTimeout) : tl("true")), user.getMuteReason()));
+            }
         }
         final String location = user.getGeoLocation();
         if (location != null && (!(sender.isPlayer()) || ess.getUser(sender.getPlayer()).isAuthorized("essentials.geoip.show"))) {
@@ -160,6 +164,15 @@ public class Commandseen extends EssentialsCommand {
             }
         }
 
+        if (user.isMuted()) {
+            long muteTimeout = user.getMuteTimeout();
+            if (!user.hasMuteReason()) {
+                sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisMuted", (muteTimeout > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(muteTimeout) : tl("true"))));
+            } else {
+                sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisMutedReason", (muteTimeout > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(muteTimeout) : tl("true")), user.getMuteReason()));
+            }
+        }
+
         final String location = user.getGeoLocation();
         if (location != null && (!(sender.isPlayer()) || ess.getUser(sender.getPlayer()).isAuthorized("essentials.geoip.show"))) {
             sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisGeoLocation", location));
diff --git a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandwhois.java b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandwhois.java
index c92059358..c62812d90 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandwhois.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/com/earth2me/essentials/commands/Commandwhois.java
@@ -56,9 +56,14 @@ 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"))));
-        sender.sendMessage(user.hasMuteReason() ? tl("whoisMutedReason", (user.isMuted() ? user.getMuteTimeout() > 0 ?
-                DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getMuteTimeout()) : tl("true") : tl("false")),user.getMuteReason()) : tl("whoisMuted", (user.isMuted() ?
-                user.getMuteTimeout() > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(user.getMuteTimeout()) : tl("true") : tl("false"))));
+
+        long muteTimeout = user.getMuteTimeout();
+        if (!user.hasMuteReason()) {
+            sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisMuted", (user.isMuted() ? (muteTimeout > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(muteTimeout) : tl("true")) : tl("false"))));
+        } else {
+            sender.sendMessage(tl("whoisMutedReason", (user.isMuted() ? (muteTimeout > 0 ? DateUtil.formatDateDiff(muteTimeout) : tl("true")) : tl("false")),
+                user.getMuteReason()));
+        }
     }
 
     @Override