diff --git a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/DataForm.pm b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/DataForm.pm
index c243fb75a..6bf009808 100644
--- a/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/DataForm.pm
+++ b/lib/WebGUI/Asset/Wobject/DataForm.pm
@@ -707,12 +707,12 @@ sub www_editField {
 		-name=>"status",
 		-options=>\%fieldStatus,
 		-label=>WebGUI::International::get(22,"DataForm"),
-		-value=>[ $field{status} ||= "editable" ]
+		-value=>[ $field{status} || "editable" ]
 		); 
 	$f->fieldType(
 		-name=>"type",
 		-label=>WebGUI::International::get(23,"DataForm"),
-		-value=>[$field{type} ||= "text"]
+		-value=>[$field{type} || "text"]
 		);
 	$f->integer(
 		-name=>"width",