diff --git a/src/modules/core.js b/src/modules/core.js
index da4235bf..ccb4ce03 100644
--- a/src/modules/core.js
+++ b/src/modules/core.js
@@ -1467,11 +1467,6 @@
 				} else {
 					value = $element.val();
 
-					// Ignore placeholder text
-					if ( value === $element.attr( 'placeholder' ) ) {
-						value = '';
-					}
-
 					// For <select multiple> with nothing selected, jQuery returns null...
 					// convert that to an empty array so that $.each() won't explode later
 					if ( value === null ) {
diff --git a/src/modules/submissions.js b/src/modules/submissions.js
index 3f4bab2e..702c30f4 100644
--- a/src/modules/submissions.js
+++ b/src/modules/submissions.js
@@ -2223,12 +2223,17 @@
 
 				// Add biography details
 				if ( data.isBiography ) {
-
+					var deathYear = 'LIVING';
+					if ( data.lifeStatus === 'dead' ) {
+						deathYear = data.deathYear || 'MISSING';
+					} else if ( data.lifeStatus === 'unknown' ) {
+						deathYear = 'UNKNOWN';
+					}
 					// {{subst:L}}, which generates DEFAULTSORT as well as
 					// adds the appropriate birth/death year categories
 					newText.append( '\n{{subst:L' +
 						'|1=' + data.birthYear +
-						'|2=' + ( data.deathYear || '' ) +
+						'|2=' + deathYear +
 						'|3=' + data.subjectName + '}}'
 					);