diff --git a/etemplate/inc/class.etemplate_widget_itempicker.inc.php b/etemplate/inc/class.etemplate_widget_itempicker.inc.php
index 8adc9ab1e3..7c1cebaf04 100755
--- a/etemplate/inc/class.etemplate_widget_itempicker.inc.php
+++ b/etemplate/inc/class.etemplate_widget_itempicker.inc.php
@@ -24,13 +24,16 @@ class etemplate_widget_itempicker extends etemplate_widget
 	 * @param string|XMLReader $xml string with xml or XMLReader positioned on the element to construct
 	 * @throws egw_exception_wrong_parameter
 	 */
-	public function __construct($xml)
+	public function __construct($xml = '')
 	{
-		parent::__construct($xml);
+		if($xml) {
+			parent::__construct($xml);
+		}
 	}
 	
 	/**
 	 * Find items that match the given parameters
+	 * using the egw_link class
 	 */
 	public static function ajax_item_search($app, $type, $pattern, $options=array()) {
 		$options['type'] = $type ? $type : $options['type'];
diff --git a/etemplate/js/et2_widget_itempicker.js b/etemplate/js/et2_widget_itempicker.js
index dda4149be3..e101c2412f 100755
--- a/etemplate/js/et2_widget_itempicker.js
+++ b/etemplate/js/et2_widget_itempicker.js
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ var et2_itempicker = et2_inputWidget.extend({
 
 		this.itemlist.addClass("loading");
 		this.clear.css("display", "inline-block");
-		var request = new egw_json_request("etemplate_widget_link::ajax_link_search::etemplate", 
+		var request = new egw_json_request("etemplate_widget_itempicker::ajax_item_search::etemplate", 
 			[this.current_app, '', request.term, request.options],
 			this
 		);