diff --git a/openformats/formats/json.py b/openformats/formats/json.py
index 0eff452d..c7f0dea5 100644
--- a/openformats/formats/json.py
+++ b/openformats/formats/json.py
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@
 
 import six
 
-from ..exceptions import ParseError
-from ..handlers import Handler
-from ..strings import OpenString
-from ..transcribers import Transcriber
-from ..utils.icu import ICUCompiler, ICUParser
-from ..utils.json import DumbJson, escape, unescape
+from openformats.exceptions import ParseError
+from openformats.handlers import Handler
+from openformats.strings import OpenString
+from openformats.transcribers import Transcriber
+from openformats.utils.icu import ICUCompiler, ICUParser
+from openformats.utils.json import DumbJson, escape, unescape
 
 try:
     from StringIO import StringIO
@@ -509,7 +509,9 @@ def compile(self, template, translations, **kwargs):
         self.transcriber.copy_to_end()
         return self.transcriber.get_destination()
 
-    def _compile_value(self, value, template_value, value_position):
+    def _compile_value(self, value, template_value, value_position, skip=False):
+        value = template_value if skip else value
+
         if value is not None:
             if value == '' and template_value is None:
                 self.transcriber.add(u"null")
@@ -520,6 +522,7 @@ def _compile_value(self, value, template_value, value_position):
                     self.transcriber.add(u"{}".format(value))
         else:
             self.transcriber.add(u"null")
+
         self.transcriber.skip(len(u"{}".format(template_value)))
         self.transcriber.copy_until(value_position +
                                     len(u"{}".format(template_value)) +
@@ -539,7 +542,16 @@ def _compile_recursively(self, current_part):
                         self.transcriber.copy_until(value_position)
                         self._compile_recursively(value)
                 else:
-                    translation = next(self.translations, None)
+                    (value, _) = current_part.find_children(self.STRING_KEY)[0]
+                    if not value.strip():
+                        translation = OpenString(
+                            "", value
+                        )
+                        skip=True
+                    else:
+                        translation = next(self.translations, None)
+                        skip=False
+
                     context_added = False
                     character_limit_added = False
                     developer_comments_added = False
@@ -561,19 +573,22 @@ def _compile_recursively(self, current_part):
                             context = translation.context
                             self._compile_value(self.escape(context),
                                                 value,
-                                                value_position)
+                                                value_position,
+                                                skip=skip)
                             context_added = True
                         elif key == self.DEVELOPER_COMMENT_KEY and translation:
                             developer_comment = translation.developer_comment
                             self._compile_value(self.escape(developer_comment),
                                                 value,
-                                                value_position)
+                                                value_position,
+                                                skip=skip)
                             developer_comments_added = True
                         elif key == self.CHARACTER_LIMIT_KEY and translation:
                             character_limit = translation.character_limit
                             self._compile_value(character_limit,
                                                 value,
-                                                value_position)
+                                                value_position,
+                                                skip=skip)
                             character_limit_added = True
                         elif key == self.STRING_KEY and translation:
                             if translation.pluralized:
diff --git a/openformats/tests/formats/structuredkeyvaluejson/test_keyvaluejson.py b/openformats/tests/formats/structuredkeyvaluejson/test_keyvaluejson.py
index 8b47b40f..64f9e33c 100644
--- a/openformats/tests/formats/structuredkeyvaluejson/test_keyvaluejson.py
+++ b/openformats/tests/formats/structuredkeyvaluejson/test_keyvaluejson.py
@@ -29,6 +29,16 @@ def setUp(self):
                                             self.random_string, order=0)
         self.random_hash = self.random_openstring.template_replacement
 
+    def test_broken(self):
+        stringset = [
+            OpenString("b", "foo_tr", order=0)
+        ]
+        string_hash = stringset[0].template_replacement
+        template, stringset = self.handler.parse('{"a": {"string":" ", "character_limit": 1, "developer_comment": "A"}, "b": {"string": "foo"}}') # noqa
+        compiled = self.handler.compile(template, stringset)
+        self.assertEqual(template, '{"a": {"string":" ", "character_limit": 1, "developer_comment": "A"}, "b": {"string": "%s"}}' % string_hash) # noqa
+        self.assertEqual(compiled, '{"a": {"string":" ", "character_limit": 1, "developer_comment": "A"}, "b": {"string": "foo"}}') # noqa
+
     def test_simple(self):
         template, stringset = self.handler.parse('{"a": {"string":"%s"}}' %
                                                  self.random_string)
@@ -40,12 +50,12 @@ def test_simple(self):
                          self.random_openstring.__dict__)
         self.assertEqual(compiled,
                          '{"a": {"string":"%s"}}' % self.random_string)
-    
+
     def test_dots_in_key(self):
         first_level_key = "a.b"
         source = '{"%s": {"c": {"string": "%s"}}}' % (first_level_key, self.random_string)
         openstring = OpenString(
-            "{}.c".format(self.handler._escape_key(first_level_key)), 
+            "{}.c".format(self.handler._escape_key(first_level_key)),
             self.random_string, order=0
         )
         random_hash = openstring.template_replacement
@@ -63,7 +73,7 @@ def test_escaped_character_in_key(self):
         first_level_key = "a\/b"
         source = '{"%s": {"c": {"string": "%s"}}}' % (first_level_key, self.random_string)
         openstring = OpenString(
-            "{}.c".format(self.handler._escape_key(first_level_key)), 
+            "{}.c".format(self.handler._escape_key(first_level_key)),
             self.random_string, order=0
         )
         random_hash = openstring.template_replacement
@@ -460,7 +470,7 @@ def test_template_with_existing_values(self):
         source = """
         {
             "a": {
-                "character_limit":150, 
+                "character_limit":150,
                 "string":"%s",
                 "developer_comment": "i am a developer",
                 "context": "contexttt"
@@ -471,7 +481,7 @@ def test_template_with_existing_values(self):
         expected_compilation = """
         {
             "a": {
-                "character_limit":49, 
+                "character_limit":49,
                 "string":"%s",
                 "developer_comment": "comment_changed",
                 "context": "context_changed"