Index: branches/RC/core/units/custom_fields/custom_fields_event_handler.php
===================================================================
diff -u -N -r10913 -r11178
--- branches/RC/core/units/custom_fields/custom_fields_event_handler.php	(.../custom_fields_event_handler.php)	(revision 10913)
+++ branches/RC/core/units/custom_fields/custom_fields_event_handler.php	(.../custom_fields_event_handler.php)	(revision 11178)
@@ -165,13 +165,18 @@
 			$custom_field_helper =& $this->Application->recallObject('InpCustomFieldsHelper');
 			/* @var $custom_field_helper InpCustomFieldsHelper */
 
-			$options = $custom_field_helper->GetValuesHash( $object->GetDBField('ValueList') );
+			$options = $custom_field_helper->GetValuesHash( $object->GetDBField('ValueList'), VALUE_LIST_SEPARATOR, false );
 
 			$records = Array ();
+
+			$option_key = key($options);
+			if ($option_key === '' || $option_key == 0) {
+				// remove 1st empty option, and add it later, when options will be saved, but allow string option keys
+				unset($options[$option_key]); // keep index, don't use array_unshift!
+			}
+
 			foreach ($options as $option_key => $option_title) {
-				if ($option_key > 0) {
-					$records[] = Array ('OptionKey' => $option_key, 'OptionTitle' => $option_title);
-				}
+				$records[] = Array ('OptionKey' => $option_key, 'OptionTitle' => $option_title);
 			}
 
 			$minput_helper =& $this->Application->recallObject('MInputHelper');