diff --git a/src/allmydata/test/test_web.py b/src/allmydata/test/test_web.py
index ef0b616a8..d4d6cdbea 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/test/test_web.py
+++ b/src/allmydata/test/test_web.py
@@ -917,7 +917,9 @@ class Web(WebMixin, WebErrorMixin, testutil.StallMixin, unittest.TestCase):
         # and an empty directory
         d.addCallback(lambda res: self.GET(self.public_url + "/foo/empty/"))
         def _check4(res):
-            self.failUnless("directory is empty!" in res, res)
+            self.failUnless("directory is empty" in res, res)
+            MKDIR_BUTTON_RE=re.compile('<input type="hidden" name="t" value="mkdir" />.*<legend class="freeform-form-label">Create a new directory</legend>.*<input type="submit" value="Create" />', re.I)
+            self.failUnless(MKDIR_BUTTON_RE.search(res), res)
         d.addCallback(_check4)
 
         return d
diff --git a/src/allmydata/web/directory.py b/src/allmydata/web/directory.py
index 51837b117..204181946 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/web/directory.py
+++ b/src/allmydata/web/directory.py
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ class DirectoryAsHTML(rend.Page):
 
         if self.node.is_readonly():
             return T.div["No upload forms: directory is read-only"]
-        if not self.dirnode_children:
+        if self.dirnode_children is None:
             return T.div["No upload forms: directory is unreadable"]
 
         mkdir = T.form(action=".", method="post",
diff --git a/src/allmydata/web/directory.xhtml b/src/allmydata/web/directory.xhtml
index 6038cd3f2..db74d06df 100644
--- a/src/allmydata/web/directory.xhtml
+++ b/src/allmydata/web/directory.xhtml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
     <td><n:slot name="info"/></td>
   </tr>
 
-  <tr n:pattern="empty"><td>directory is empty!</td></tr>
+  <tr n:pattern="empty"><td>directory is empty</td></tr>
 
 </table>
 </div>