diff --git a/launch/owlcms h2 no reset.launch b/launch/owlcms h2 no reset.launch
index cd89fc51e..affa12442 100644
--- a/launch/owlcms h2 no reset.launch	
+++ b/launch/owlcms h2 no reset.launch	
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
         <mapEntry key="OWLCMS_BACKDOOR" value="127.0.0.1,[0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1]"/>
         <mapEntry key="OWLCMS_PORT" value="8080"/>
         <mapEntry key="OWLCMS_UPDATEKEY" value="mapetitevacheamalauxpattes"/>
-        <mapEntry key="OWLCMS_USECOMPETITIONDATE" value="true"/>
         <mapEntry key="_JDBC_DATABASE_PASSWORD" value="postgres"/>
         <mapEntry key="_JDBC_DATABASE_URL" value="jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/owlcms_db"/>
         <mapEntry key="_JDBC_DATABASE_USERNAME" value="postgres"/>
diff --git a/owlcms/src/main/java/app/owlcms/data/config/Config.java b/owlcms/src/main/java/app/owlcms/data/config/Config.java
index 978991afa..257047685 100644
--- a/owlcms/src/main/java/app/owlcms/data/config/Config.java
+++ b/owlcms/src/main/java/app/owlcms/data/config/Config.java
@@ -809,9 +809,10 @@ public boolean isTraceMemory() {
 	@JsonIgnore
 	public boolean isUseCompetitionDate() {
 		if (this.useCompetitionDate == null) {
-			this.useCompetitionDate = StartupUtils.getBooleanParam("useCompetitionDate");
+			this.useCompetitionDate = StartupUtils.getBooleanParamOrElseNull("useCompetitionDate");
 		}
-		return this.useCompetitionDate;
+		// if not defined, use the competition date as stored in the database
+		return this.useCompetitionDate != null ? this.useCompetitionDate : true;
 	}
 
 	public void setClearZip(boolean clearZipRequested) {
diff --git a/owlcms/src/main/java/app/owlcms/data/jpa/ProdData.java b/owlcms/src/main/java/app/owlcms/data/jpa/ProdData.java
index b0375657a..320155aa2 100644
--- a/owlcms/src/main/java/app/owlcms/data/jpa/ProdData.java
+++ b/owlcms/src/main/java/app/owlcms/data/jpa/ProdData.java
@@ -57,40 +57,36 @@ protected static Competition createDefaultCompetition() {
 
 		Competition competition = new Competition();
 
-		competition.setCompetitionName(Translator.translate("Competition", getLocale()) + " ?");
-		competition.setCompetitionCity(Translator.translate("Competition.competitionCity", getLocale()) + " ?");
+		competition.setCompetitionName("\u2013");
+		competition.setCompetitionCity("\u2013");
 		competition.setCompetitionDate(LocalDate.now());
 		competition
-		        .setCompetitionOrganizer(Translator.translate("Competition.competitionOrganizer", getLocale()) + " ?");
-		competition.setCompetitionSite(Translator.translate("Competition.competitionSite", getLocale()) + " ?");
+		        .setCompetitionOrganizer("\u2013");
+		competition.setCompetitionSite("\u2013");
 
-		String federationLabel = Translator.translate("Competition.federation", getLocale()) + " ?";
 		String defaultFederationKey = "Competition.defaultFederation";
 		String defaultFederation = Translator.translate(defaultFederationKey, getLocale());
 		// if string is not translated, we get its key back.
-		competition.setFederation(defaultFederation.equals(defaultFederationKey) ? federationLabel : defaultFederation);
+		competition.setFederation(defaultFederation.equals(defaultFederationKey) ? "\u2013" : defaultFederation);
 
-		String federationAddressLabel = Translator.translate("Competition.federationAddress", getLocale()) + " ?";
 		String defaultFederationAddressKey = "Competition.defaultFederationAddress";
 		String defaultFederationAddress = Translator.translate(defaultFederationAddressKey, getLocale());
 		// if string is not translated, we get its key back.
 		competition.setFederationAddress(
-		        defaultFederationAddress.equals(defaultFederationAddressKey) ? federationAddressLabel
+		        defaultFederationAddress.equals(defaultFederationAddressKey) ? "\u2013"
 		                : defaultFederationAddress);
 
-		String federationEMailLabel = Translator.translate("Competition.federationEMail", getLocale()) + " ?";
 		String defaultFederationEMailKey = "Competition.defaultFederationEMail";
 		String defaultFederationEMail = Translator.translate(defaultFederationEMailKey, getLocale());
 		// if string is not translated, we get its key back.
-		competition.setFederationEMail(defaultFederationEMail.equals(defaultFederationEMailKey) ? federationEMailLabel
+		competition.setFederationEMail(defaultFederationEMail.equals(defaultFederationEMailKey) ? "\u2013"
 		        : defaultFederationEMail);
 
-		String federationWebSiteLabel = Translator.translate("Competition.federationWebSite", getLocale()) + " ?";
 		String defaultFederationWebSiteKey = "Competition.defaultFederationWebSite";
 		String defaultFederationWebSite = Translator.translate(defaultFederationWebSiteKey, getLocale());
 		// if string is not translated, we get its key back.
 		competition.setFederationWebSite(
-		        defaultFederationWebSite.equals(defaultFederationWebSiteKey) ? federationWebSiteLabel
+		        defaultFederationWebSite.equals(defaultFederationWebSiteKey) ? "\u2013"
 		                : defaultFederationWebSite);
 
 		competition.setUseBirthYear(false);