diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php b/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
index b40fdb369c..0cfac0667c 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions_posting.php
@@ -848,10 +848,10 @@ function topic_review($topic_id, $forum_id, $mode = 'topic_review', $cur_post_id
 	$db->sql_freeresult($result);
 
 	// Instantiate BBCode class
-	if (!isset($bbcode) && $bbcode_bitfield)
+	if (!isset($bbcode) && $bbcode_bitfield !== '')
 	{
 		include_once($phpbb_root_path . 'includes/bbcode.' . $phpEx);
-		$bbcode = new bbcode($bbcode_bitfield);
+		$bbcode = new bbcode(base64_encode($bbcode_bitfield));
 	}
 
 	foreach ($rowset as $i => $row)
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/mcp/mcp_topic.php b/phpBB/includes/mcp/mcp_topic.php
index 691b92bd36..7f1bc2a0c4 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/mcp/mcp_topic.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/mcp/mcp_topic.php
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ function mcp_topic_view($id, $mode, $action)
 	}
 	$db->sql_freeresult($result);
 
-	if ($bbcode_bitfield)
+	if ($bbcode_bitfield !== '')
 	{
 		include_once($phpbb_root_path . 'includes/bbcode.' . $phpEx);
-		$bbcode = new bbcode($bbcode_bitfield);
+		$bbcode = new bbcode(base64_encode($bbcode_bitfield));
 	}
 
 	foreach ($rowset as $i => $row)
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/ucp/ucp_pm_viewmessage.php b/phpBB/includes/ucp/ucp_pm_viewmessage.php
index 4a399d847d..f0fa234944 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/ucp/ucp_pm_viewmessage.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/ucp/ucp_pm_viewmessage.php
@@ -295,13 +295,13 @@ function message_history($msg_id, $user_id, $message_row, $folder)
 	}
 
 	// Instantiate BBCode class
-	if ((empty($bbcode) || $bbcode === false) && $bbcode_bitfield)
+	if ((empty($bbcode) || $bbcode === false) && $bbcode_bitfield !== '')
 	{
 		if (!class_exists('bbcode'))
 		{
 			include($phpbb_root_path . 'includes/bbcode.' . $phpEx);
 		}
-		$bbcode = new bbcode($bbcode_bitfield);
+		$bbcode = new bbcode(base64_encode($bbcode_bitfield));
 	}
 
 	$title = censor_text($title);