diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 480fef9d12..885ac1667e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+2004-03-29  Sven Neumann  <sven@gimp.org>
+
+	* app/config/gimpguiconfig.c: changed the default for "help-locales"
+	from NULL to an empty string. Fixes the generated gimprc man-page.
+
+	* app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h (HELP_LOCALES_BLURB): added missing
+	whitespace.
+
+	* app/widgets/gimphelp.c: use the user's locale if "help-locales"
+	is NULL or the empty string.
+
+	* docs/gimprc.5.in
+	* etc/gimprc: regenerated.
+
 2004-03-29  Michael Natterer  <mitch@gimp.org>
 
 	* app/core/core-enums.[ch] (enum GimpUndoType): added new group
@@ -17,7 +31,7 @@
 
 	* plug-ins/ifscompose/ifscompose.c: applied patch from David Necas
 	that updates the sensitivity of the Delete button and menu entry.
-	Fixes bug 138212#.
+	Fixes bug #138212.
 
 2004-03-28  Sven Neumann  <sven@gimp.org>
 
diff --git a/app/config/gimpguiconfig.c b/app/config/gimpguiconfig.c
index 6f635186ae..ebfb3238da 100644
--- a/app/config/gimpguiconfig.c
+++ b/app/config/gimpguiconfig.c
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ gimp_gui_config_class_init (GimpGuiConfigClass *klass)
                                     0);
   GIMP_CONFIG_INSTALL_PROP_STRING (object_class, PROP_HELP_LOCALES,
                                    "help-locales", HELP_LOCALES_BLURB,
-                                   NULL,
+                                   "",
                                    0);
   GIMP_CONFIG_INSTALL_PROP_ENUM (object_class, PROP_HELP_BROWSER,
                                  "help-browser", HELP_BROWSER_BLURB,
diff --git a/app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h b/app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h
index 1dcc5277e9..3668f284c8 100644
--- a/app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h
+++ b/app/config/gimprc-blurbs.h
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ N_("When enabled, the selected pattern will be used for all tools.")
 N_("Sets the browser used by the help system.")
 
 #define HELP_LOCALES_BLURB \
-"Specifies the language preferences used by the help system. This is a" \
+"Specifies the language preferences used by the help system. This is a " \
 "colon-separated list of language identifiers with decreasing priority. " \
 "If empty, the language is taken from the user's locale setting."
 
diff --git a/app/widgets/gimphelp.c b/app/widgets/gimphelp.c
index 0516c4d75d..7440486091 100644
--- a/app/widgets/gimphelp.c
+++ b/app/widgets/gimphelp.c
@@ -22,11 +22,7 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-#ifdef HAVE_UNISTD_H
-#include <unistd.h>
-#endif
 #include <string.h>
-#include "sys/types.h"
 
 #include <gtk/gtk.h>
 
@@ -98,7 +94,7 @@ gimp_help (Gimp        *gimp,
       if (help_domain && strlen (help_domain))
 	idle_help->help_domain = g_strdup (help_domain);
 
-      if (config->help_locales)
+      if (config->help_locales && strlen (config->help_locales))
         idle_help->help_locales = g_strdup (config->help_locales);
       else
         idle_help->help_locales = gimp_get_default_language ();
diff --git a/docs/gimprc.5.in b/docs/gimprc.5.in
index 2114f688cd..9b826230fa 100644
--- a/docs/gimprc.5.in
+++ b/docs/gimprc.5.in
@@ -672,9 +672,10 @@ When enabled, pressing F1 will open the help browser.  Possible values are yes
 and no.
 
 .TP
+(help-locales "")
 
-Specifies the language preferences used by the help system. This is
-acolon-separated list of language identifiers with decreasing priority. If
+Specifies the language preferences used by the help system. This is a
+colon-separated list of language identifiers with decreasing priority. If
 empty, the language is taken from the user's locale setting.  This is a string
 value.
 
diff --git a/etc/gimprc b/etc/gimprc
index f0ad624e2b..8474f356b2 100644
--- a/etc/gimprc
+++ b/etc/gimprc
@@ -524,12 +524,12 @@
 # 
 # (use-help yes)
 
-# Specifies the language preferences used by the help system. This is
-# acolon-separated list of language identifiers with decreasing priority. If
+# Specifies the language preferences used by the help system. This is a
+# colon-separated list of language identifiers with decreasing priority. If
 # empty, the language is taken from the user's locale setting.  This is a
 # string value.
 # 
-# 
+# (help-locales "")
 
 # Sets the browser used by the help system.  Possible values are gimp and
 # web-browser.