diff --git a/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua b/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
index 53fbe29..e337b97 100644
--- a/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
+++ b/modpol/orgs/orgs.lua
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ modpol.add_org = function(org_name, members, parent_id, properties)
       end
    end
 
-   local msg = "New org: " .. org_name .. " ["..org_id.."], parent =  ".. parent_org_id..", members = "..
+   local msg = "New org: " .. org_name .. " ["..org_id.."], parent =  ".. parent_org_id or ""..", members = "..
       " (" .. table.concat (members, ", ") .. ")"
 
    modpol.record (org_id, msg, 'org_init')