diff --git a/js/angular/directive/refresher.js b/js/angular/directive/refresher.js
index a82221ead5c..cf3b6162fd6 100644
--- a/js/angular/directive/refresher.js
+++ b/js/angular/directive/refresher.js
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ IonicModule
     '<div class="scroll-refresher">' +
       '<div class="ionic-refresher-content">' +
         '<i class="icon {{pullingIcon}} icon-pulling"></i>' +
-        '<div class="text-pulling" ng-bind-html="pullingText || \'&nbsp;\'"></div>' +
+        '<div class="text-pulling" ng-bind-html="pullingText"></div>' +
         '<i class="icon {{refreshingIcon}} icon-refreshing"></i>' +
-        '<div class="text-refreshing" ng-bind-html="refreshingText || \'&nbsp;\'"></div>' +
+        '<div class="text-refreshing" ng-bind-html="refreshingText"></div>' +
       '</div>' +
     '</div>',
     compile: function($element, $attrs) {
diff --git a/test/unit/angular/directive/refresher.unit.js b/test/unit/angular/directive/refresher.unit.js
index 32f6260d807..54f1ba5c098 100644
--- a/test/unit/angular/directive/refresher.unit.js
+++ b/test/unit/angular/directive/refresher.unit.js
@@ -86,14 +86,6 @@ describe('ionRefresher directive', function() {
     expect(el[0].querySelector('.icon.icon-refreshing.monkey-icon')).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
-  it('should have &nbsp; pulling-text by default', function() {
-    var el = setup();
-    expect(el[0].querySelector('.text-pulling').innerHTML).toBe('&nbsp;');
-  });
-  it('should have &nbsp; refreshing-text by default', function() {
-    var el = setup();
-    expect(el[0].querySelector('.text-refreshing').innerHTML).toBe('&nbsp;');
-  });
   it('should allow pullingText', function() {
     var el = setup('pulling-text="{{2+2}} <b>some</b> text"');
     expect(el[0].querySelector('.text-pulling').innerHTML).toBe('4 <b>some</b> text');