diff --git a/packages/core/src/js/services/ui-i18n.js b/packages/core/src/js/services/ui-i18n.js
index 17d5aec74d..b9b6183512 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/js/services/ui-i18n.js
+++ b/packages/core/src/js/services/ui-i18n.js
@@ -98,6 +98,11 @@
         }
       };
 
+      function getMissingText(path) {
+        $log.warn(i18nConstants.MISSING + path);
+        return '';
+      }
+
       var service = {
 
         /**
@@ -174,14 +179,13 @@
         getSafeText: function (path, lang) {
           var language = lang || service.getCurrentLang(),
             trans = langCache.get(language),
-            missing = i18nConstants.MISSING + path,
             getter = $parse(path);
 
           if (!trans) {
-            return missing;
+            return getMissingText(path);
           }
 
-          return getter(trans) || missing;
+          return getter(trans) || getMissingText(path);
         },
 
         /**
diff --git a/packages/core/test/i18n/directives.spec.js b/packages/core/test/i18n/directives.spec.js
index b650204ad9..7613007570 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/i18n/directives.spec.js
+++ b/packages/core/test/i18n/directives.spec.js
@@ -60,11 +60,11 @@ describe('i18n Directives', function() {
 
       expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('Search...');
     });
-    it('should get missing text for missing property', function() {
+    it('should get empty string for missing property', function() {
       element = angular.element('<div ui-i18n="en"><p ui-translate="search.bad.text"></p></div>');
       recompile();
 
-      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('[MISSING]search.bad.text');
+      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('');
     });
   });
 
@@ -98,15 +98,15 @@ describe('i18n Directives', function() {
 
       expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('Search...');
     });
-    it('should get missing text for missing property', function() {
+    it('should get empty string for missing property', function() {
       element = angular.element('<div ui-i18n="en"><p ui-t="search.bad.text"></p></div>');
       recompile();
 
-      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('[MISSING]search.bad.text');
+      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('');
 
       $rootScope.$broadcast('$uiI18n');
 
-      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('[MISSING]search.bad.text');
+      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('');
     });
   });
 
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ describe('i18n Directives', function() {
 
       expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('Search...');
     });
-    it('should get missing text for missing property', function() {
+    it('should get empty string for missing property', function() {
       element = angular.element('<div ui-i18n="en"><p>{{"search.bad.text" | t}}</p></div>');
       recompile();
 
-      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('[MISSING]search.bad.text');
+      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('');
     });
   });
 
@@ -144,11 +144,11 @@ describe('i18n Directives', function() {
 
       expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('Search...');
     });
-    it('should get missing text for missing property', function() {
+    it('should get empty string for missing property', function() {
       element = angular.element('<div ui-i18n="en"><p>{{"search.bad.text" | uiTranslate}}</p></div>');
       recompile();
 
-      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('[MISSING]search.bad.text');
+      expect(element.find('p').text()).toBe('');
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/core/test/i18n/i18nService.spec.js b/packages/core/test/i18n/i18nService.spec.js
index aac10fa5da..71a18aada4 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/i18n/i18nService.spec.js
+++ b/packages/core/test/i18n/i18nService.spec.js
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
 describe('i18nService', function () {
-  var i18nConstants, i18nService;
+  var $log, i18nConstants, i18nService;
 
   beforeEach(function() {
-    module('ui.grid');
+    $log = jasmine.createSpyObj('$log', ['warn']);
+    module('ui.grid', function($provide) {
+      $provide.value('$log', $log)
+    });
     inject(function (_i18nConstants_, _i18nService_) {
       i18nConstants = _i18nConstants_;
       i18nService = _i18nService_;
     });
   });
+  afterEach(function() {
+    $log.warn.calls.reset();
+  });
 
   describe('i18n service', function() {
     it('should default to English', function() {
@@ -77,30 +83,34 @@ describe('i18nService', function () {
       it('should get safe text when text is defined', function() {
         expect(i18nService.getSafeText('search.placeholder')).toBe('Search...');
       });
-      it('should get missing text for missing property', function() {
+      it('should get empty string for missing property', function() {
         var badText = 'search.bad.text';
 
-        expect(i18nService.getSafeText(badText)).toBe(i18nConstants.MISSING + badText);
+        expect(i18nService.getSafeText(badText)).toBe('');
+        expect($log.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(i18nConstants.MISSING + badText);
       });
       it('should get fallback text when language is missing or nonexistent', function() {
         expect(i18nService.getSafeText('search.placeholder', 'valerian')).toBe('Search...');
       });
-      it('should get missing text when language is missing or nonexistent and there is no fallback', function() {
+      it('should get empty string when language is missing or nonexistent and there is no fallback', function() {
         var badText = 'bad.text';
 
-        expect(i18nService.getSafeText(badText, 'valerian')).toBe(i18nConstants.MISSING + badText);
+        expect(i18nService.getSafeText(badText, 'valerian')).toBe('');
+        expect($log.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(i18nConstants.MISSING + badText);
       });
-      it('should get missing text when language is missing or nonexistent and the fallback language is the same', function() {
+      it('should get empty string when language is missing or nonexistent and the fallback language is the same', function() {
         var missingProperty = 'search.placeholder';
 
         i18nService.setFallbackLang('valerian');
-        expect(i18nService.getSafeText(missingProperty, 'valerian')).toBe(i18nConstants.MISSING + missingProperty);
+        expect(i18nService.getSafeText(missingProperty, 'valerian')).toBe('');
+        expect($log.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(i18nConstants.MISSING + missingProperty);
       });
-      it('should get missing text when language is missing or nonexistent and the fallback language is also missing it', function() {
+      it('should get empty string when language is missing or nonexistent and the fallback language is also missing it', function() {
         var missingProperty = 'search.placeholder';
 
         i18nService.setFallbackLang('orcish');
-        expect(i18nService.getSafeText(missingProperty, 'valerian')).toBe(i18nConstants.MISSING + missingProperty);
+        expect(i18nService.getSafeText(missingProperty, 'valerian')).toBe('');
+        expect($log.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(i18nConstants.MISSING + missingProperty);
       });
     });
   });