diff --git a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-api.php b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-api.php
index 5694f201..6783a80a 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-api.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-api.php
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class Api {
         if (Util::get_boolean_request_param("l10n", false)) {
 
             $iso_codes = Util::get_request_param("l10nCodes");
-            $iso_codes = explode(":", $iso_codes);
+            $iso_codes = array_filter(explode(":", $iso_codes));
             $response["l10n"] = $this->app->get_l10n($iso_codes);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-app.php b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-app.php
index 716d4309..325fa8e1 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-app.php
+++ b/src/_h5ai/server/php/inc/class-app.php
@@ -320,17 +320,12 @@ class App {
 
     public function get_l10n($iso_codes) {
 
-        if (!is_array($iso_codes)) {
-            $iso_codes = func_get_args();
-        }
-
         $results = array();
+
         foreach ($iso_codes as $iso_code) {
-            if ($iso_code !== "") {
-                $file = APP_PATH . "/conf/l10n/" . $iso_code . ".json";
-                $results[$iso_code] = Util::load_commented_json($file);
-                $results[$iso_code]["isoCode"] = $iso_code;
-            }
+            $file = APP_PATH . "/conf/l10n/" . $iso_code . ".json";
+            $results[$iso_code] = Util::load_commented_json($file);
+            $results[$iso_code]["isoCode"] = $iso_code;
         }
 
         return $results;