diff --git a/lisp/org-capture.el b/lisp/org-capture.el
index 6de5f6b33..eeb05ca98 100644
--- a/lisp/org-capture.el
+++ b/lisp/org-capture.el
@@ -966,12 +966,15 @@ Store them in the capture property list."
 (defun org-capture-expand-file (file)
   "Expand functions and symbols for FILE.
 When FILE is a function, call it.  When it is a form, evaluate
-it.  When it is a variable, retrieve the value.  Return whatever we get."
+it.  When it is a variable, retrieve the value.  When it is
+a string, return it.  However, if it is the empty string, return
+`org-default-notes-file' instead."
   (cond
+   ((equal file "") org-default-notes-file)
    ((org-string-nw-p file) file)
    ((functionp file) (funcall file))
    ((and (symbolp file) (boundp file)) (symbol-value file))
-   ((and file (consp file)) (eval file))
+   ((consp file) (eval file))
    (t file)))
 
 (defun org-capture-target-buffer (file)
diff --git a/lisp/org.el b/lisp/org.el
index 7dc5f6d7c..6e4edd6cb 100755
--- a/lisp/org.el
+++ b/lisp/org.el
@@ -2315,9 +2315,7 @@ Used as a fall back file for org-capture.el, for templates that
 do not specify a target file."
   :group 'org-refile
   :group 'org-capture
-  :type '(choice
-	  (const :tag "Default from remember-data-file" nil)
-	  file))
+  :type 'file)
 
 (defcustom org-goto-interface 'outline
   "The default interface to be used for `org-goto'.