diff --git a/src/controllers/helpers.js b/src/controllers/helpers.js
index 3d15ea12be..5981cdc47a 100644
--- a/src/controllers/helpers.js
+++ b/src/controllers/helpers.js
@@ -238,10 +238,11 @@ helpers.buildBreadcrumbs = function (crumbs) {
 };
 
 helpers.buildTitle = function (pageTitle) {
-	const titleLayout = meta.config.titleLayout || '{pageTitle} | {browserTitle}';
+	pageTitle = pageTitle || '';
+	const titleLayout = meta.config.titleLayout || `${pageTitle ? '{pageTitle} | ' : ''}{browserTitle}`;
 
 	const browserTitle = validator.escape(String(meta.config.browserTitle || meta.config.title || 'NodeBB'));
-	pageTitle = pageTitle || '';
+
 	const title = titleLayout.replace('{pageTitle}', () => pageTitle).replace('{browserTitle}', () => browserTitle);
 	return title;
 };
diff --git a/src/middleware/render.js b/src/middleware/render.js
index 223d556150..d8a98a9f3e 100644
--- a/src/middleware/render.js
+++ b/src/middleware/render.js
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ module.exports = function (middleware) {
 
 		templateValues.configJSON = jsesc(JSON.stringify(res.locals.config), { isScriptContext: true });
 
-		const title = translator.unescape(utils.stripHTMLTags(options.title));
+		const title = translator.unescape(utils.stripHTMLTags(options.title || ''));
 		const results = await utils.promiseParallel({
 			isAdmin: user.isAdministrator(req.uid),
 			isGlobalMod: user.isGlobalModerator(req.uid),