diff --git a/packages/field/src/FormControlMixin.js b/packages/field/src/FormControlMixin.js
index eef955a7f..fcd8fa9f0 100644
--- a/packages/field/src/FormControlMixin.js
+++ b/packages/field/src/FormControlMixin.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ export const FormControlMixin = dedupeMixin(
       }
 
       get label() {
-        return (this._labelNode && this._labelNode.textContent) || this.__label;
+        return this.__label || (this._labelNode && this._labelNode.textContent);
       }
 
       set label(newValue) {
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export const FormControlMixin = dedupeMixin(
       }
 
       get helpText() {
-        return (this._helpTextNode && this._helpTextNode.textContent) || this.__helpText;
+        return this.__helpText || (this._helpTextNode && this._helpTextNode.textContent);
       }
 
       set helpText(newValue) {
diff --git a/packages/field/test/FormControlMixin.test.js b/packages/field/test/FormControlMixin.test.js
index e6ea3d795..81af9ae02 100644
--- a/packages/field/test/FormControlMixin.test.js
+++ b/packages/field/test/FormControlMixin.test.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ describe('FormControlMixin', () => {
           ${inputSlot}
         </${tag}>
       </${tag}>`);
-    expect(el.label).to.equal(undefined);
+    expect(el.label).to.equal('');
   });
 
   it('can have a help-text', async () => {
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ describe('FormControlMixin', () => {
           ${inputSlot}
         </${tag}>
       </${tag}>`);
-    expect(el.helpText).to.equal(undefined);
+    expect(el.helpText).to.equal('');
   });
 
   it('does not duplicate aria-describedby and aria-labelledby ids', async () => {