diff --git a/src/lib/counter.ts b/src/lib/counter.ts
index b82e49e..473afe4 100644
--- a/src/lib/counter.ts
+++ b/src/lib/counter.ts
@@ -167,11 +167,11 @@ export const counterConfigs = new Map([
   }],
   ['messageTemplateIncrease', {
     type: ConfigType.String,
-    default: ''
+    default: 'null'
   }],
   ['messageTemplateDecrease', {
     type: ConfigType.String,
-    default: ''
+    default: 'null'
   }],
 
   // these ones are fake and are just stand-ins for values defined inside the actual counters table
@@ -214,9 +214,9 @@ export async function announceCounterUpdate(bot: Client, member: GuildMember, de
 
   let template = await getCounterConfig(counter.id, 'messageTemplate') as string;
   const templateIncrease = await getCounterConfig(counter.id, 'messageTemplateIncrease') as string;
-  if (templateIncrease !== '' && delta > 0) template = templateIncrease;
+  if (templateIncrease !== 'null' && delta > 0) template = templateIncrease;
   const templateDecrease = await getCounterConfig(counter.id, 'messageTemplateDecrease') as string;
-  if (templateDecrease !== '' && delta < 0) template = templateDecrease;
+  if (templateDecrease !== 'null' && delta < 0) template = templateDecrease;
 
   const anonymous = await getCounterConfig(counter.id, 'anonymous') as boolean;