diff --git a/application/controllers/Items.php b/application/controllers/Items.php
index c3a50ae09..c89d713a8 100644
--- a/application/controllers/Items.php
+++ b/application/controllers/Items.php
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ class Items extends Secure_Controller
 			if ($definition_value['definition_type'] == DROPDOWN)
 			{
 				$values['values'] = $this->Attribute->get_definition_values($definition_id);
-				$values['selected_value'] = $this->Attribute->get_link_value($item_id, $definition_id);
+				$values['selected_value'] = $this->Attribute->get_link_value($item_id, $definition_id)->attribute_id;
 			}
 
 			if (!empty($definition_ids[$definition_id]))
diff --git a/application/views/attributes/item.php b/application/views/attributes/item.php
index fdc3bad3d..7be6db019 100644
--- a/application/views/attributes/item.php
+++ b/application/views/attributes/item.php
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ foreach($definition_values as $definition_id => $definition_value)
             }
             else if ($definition_value['definition_type'] == DROPDOWN)
             {
-                $selected_value = empty($selected_value) ? $definition_value['selected_value'] : $selected_value->attribute_id;
+                $selected_value = $definition_value['selected_value'];
                 echo form_dropdown("attribute_links[$definition_id]", $definition_value['values'], $selected_value, "class='form-control' data-definition-id='$definition_id'");
             }
             else if ($definition_value['definition_type'] == TEXT)