diff --git a/commcare_export/minilinq.py b/commcare_export/minilinq.py
index 612cfead..433f25e4 100644
--- a/commcare_export/minilinq.py
+++ b/commcare_export/minilinq.py
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ def __init__(self, table, headings, source, missing_value=None):
         self.table = table
         self.headings = headings
         self.source = source
-        self.missing_value = missing_value or ''
+        self.missing_value = missing_value
 
     @unwrap('cell')
     def coerce_cell_blithely(self, cell):