diff --git a/javascript/TreeDropdownField.js b/javascript/TreeDropdownField.js
index f9d713118..2385f4af3 100644
--- a/javascript/TreeDropdownField.js
+++ b/javascript/TreeDropdownField.js
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
 						
 						var node = tree.find('*[data-id="' + val + '"]'),
 							title = node.children('a').find("span.jstree_pageicon")?node.children('a').find("span.item").html():null;
-						if(!title) title=(node) ? tree.jstree('get_text', node[0]) : null;
+						if(!title) title=(node.length > 0) ? tree.jstree('get_text', node[0]) : null;
 						
 						if(title) self.setTitle(title);
 						if(node) tree.jstree('select_node', node);
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@
 				};
 
 				// Load the tree if its not already present
-				if(jQuery.jstree._reference(tree) || !val) updateFn();
-				else this.loadTree(null, updateFn);
+				if(!tree.is(':empty') || !val) updateFn();
+				else this.loadTree({forceValue: val}, updateFn);
 			},
 			setValue: function(val) {
 				this.data('metadata', $.extend(this.data('metadata'), {id: val}));