diff --git a/jira/cli/commands.go b/jira/cli/commands.go
index 6aaa3c9..48440b9 100644
--- a/jira/cli/commands.go
+++ b/jira/cli/commands.go
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ func (c *Cli) CmdComment(issue string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if comment, ok := c.opts["comment"]; ok {
+	if comment, ok := c.opts["comment"]; ok && comment != "" {
 		json, err := jsonEncode(map[string]interface{}{
 			"body": comment,
 		})
diff --git a/jira/cli/templates.go b/jira/cli/templates.go
index 72f8203..22cbf5d 100644
--- a/jira/cli/templates.go
+++ b/jira/cli/templates.go
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ blockers: {{ range .fields.issuelinks }}{{if .outwardIssue}}{{ .outwardIssue.key
 depends: {{ range .fields.issuelinks }}{{if .inwardIssue}}{{ .inwardIssue.key }}[{{.inwardIssue.fields.status.name}}]{{end}}{{end}}
 priority: {{ .fields.priority.name }}
 description: |
-  {{ if .fields.description }}{{.fields.description | indent 2 }}{{end}}
+  {{ or .fields.description "" | indent 2 }}
 
 comments:
 {{ range .fields.comment.comments }}  - | # {{.author.name}} at {{.created}}
-    {{ .body | indent 4}}
+    {{ or .body "" | indent 4}}
 {{end}}
 `
 const default_edit_template = `update:
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ const default_create_template = `fields:
 `
 
 const default_comment_template = `body: |
-  {{ or .overrides.comment | indent 2 }}
+  {{ or .overrides.comment "" | indent 2 }}
 `
 
 const default_transition_template = `update:
diff --git a/jira/main.go b/jira/main.go
index d8736c6..f0500ce 100644
--- a/jira/main.go
+++ b/jira/main.go
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ Command Options:
 		setEditing(false)
 		err = c.CmdTransition(args["ISSUE"].(string), "stop")
 	} else if validCommand("comment") {
+		setEditing(true)
 		err = c.CmdComment(args["ISSUE"].(string))
 	} else if validCommand("take") {
 		err = c.CmdAssign(args["ISSUE"].(string), user)