diff --git a/xdoc/src/plugin-resources/navigation.jelly b/xdoc/src/plugin-resources/navigation.jelly
index 343bd623..ba818e90 100644
--- a/xdoc/src/plugin-resources/navigation.jelly
+++ b/xdoc/src/plugin-resources/navigation.jelly
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 
                     <!-- Only display a "Downloads" menu link if the 
                         maven.xdoc.distributionUrl has been defined -->
-                    <j:if test="${!empty(context.getVariable('maven.xdoc.distributionUrl'))}">
+                    <j:if test="${context.getVariable('maven.xdoc.distributionUrl') != null and context.getVariable('maven.xdoc.distributionUrl') != ''}">
                         <item key="navigation.menu.item.downloads"
                             bundle="plugin-resources.templates.templates"
                             name="Downloads" href="/downloads.html" />
diff --git a/xdoc/src/plugin-resources/templates/downloads.jelly b/xdoc/src/plugin-resources/templates/downloads.jelly
index 8319ef65..d0ff3949 100644
--- a/xdoc/src/plugin-resources/templates/downloads.jelly
+++ b/xdoc/src/plugin-resources/templates/downloads.jelly
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
              property is not defined -->
         <j:choose>
 
-          <j:when test="${empty(context.getVariable('maven.xdoc.distributionUrl'))}">
+          <j:when test="${context.getVariable('maven.xdoc.distributionUrl') != null and context.getVariable('maven.xdoc.distributionUrl') != ''}">
             <p>
               <message key="template.downloads.section.no_distURL1"
                     bundle="plugin-resources.templates.templates" />