diff --git a/html/inc/pm.inc b/html/inc/pm.inc
index 284b049171..969892f0fd 100644
--- a/html/inc/pm.inc
+++ b/html/inc/pm.inc
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ function pm_team_form($user, $teamid, $error=null) {
         "<input type=\"text\" class=\"form-control\" name=\"subject\" value=\"$subject\">",
         null, '20%'
     );
-    row2_init(tra("Message")."<small>".bbcode_info()."</small>", "", '20%');
+    row2_init(tra("Message")."<small>".bbcode_info()."</small>", '20%');
     start_table();
     echo $bbcode_html;
     echo "<tr><td>\n";
@@ -165,7 +165,6 @@ function pm_form($replyto, $userid, $error = null) {
     );
     row2_init(
         tra("Message")."<small>".bbcode_info().pm_rules()."</small>",
-        "",
         '20%'
     );
     start_table();
diff --git a/html/inc/team.inc b/html/inc/team.inc
index ea9464c996..84eab9ed65 100644
--- a/html/inc/team.inc
+++ b/html/inc/team.inc
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ function team_search_form($params) {
     row2(
         tra('Key words').'<br><small>'.tra('Find teams with these words in their names or descriptions').'</small>',
         '<input class="form-control" type="text" name="keywords" value="' . htmlspecialchars($params->keywords) . '">');
-    row2_init(tra('Country'), '');
+    row2_init(tra('Country'));
     echo '<select class="form-control" name="country"><option value="" selected>---</option>';
     $country = $params->country;
     if (!$country || $country == 'None') $country = "XXX";
@@ -499,12 +499,11 @@ function team_edit_form($team, $label, $url) {
 
     row2(tra('Type of team').':', team_type_select($team?$team->type:null));
 
-    row2_init(tra('Country'),
-        '<select class="form-control" name="country">'
-    );
+    row2_init(tra('Country'));
+    echo '<select class="form-control" name="country">';
     echo country_select_options($team?$team->country:null);
-
     echo "</select></td></tr>\n";
+
     $x = (!$team || $team->joinable)?"checked":"";
     row2(tra("Accept new members?"), "<input type=checkbox name=joinable $x>");
     // Check if we're using reCaptcha to prevent spam accounts
diff --git a/html/inc/util.inc b/html/inc/util.inc
index 89bf8fc198..16e095655e 100644
--- a/html/inc/util.inc
+++ b/html/inc/util.inc
@@ -518,6 +518,8 @@ define('NAME_ATTRS', 'class="text-right " style="padding-right:12px"');
 define('VALUE_ATTRS', 'style="padding-left:12px"');
 define('VALUE_ATTRS_ERR', 'class="danger" style="padding-left:12px"');
 
+// a table row with 2 columns, with the left on right-aligned
+
 function row2($x, $y, $show_error=false, $lwidth='40%') {
     if ($x==="") $x="<br>";
     if ($y==="") $y="<br>";
@@ -529,11 +531,15 @@ function row2($x, $y, $show_error=false, $lwidth='40%') {
     ";
 }
 
-function row2_init($x, $y, $lwidth='40%') {
-    echo '<tr>
-        <td class="text-right " width="'.$lwidth.'"  style="padding-right: 20px;">'.$x.'</td>
-        <td '.VALUE_ATTRS.'>'.$y.'
-    ';
+// output the first part of row2();
+// then write the content, followed by </td></tr>
+
+function row2_init($x, $lwidth='40%') {
+    echo sprintf('<tr>
+        <td width="%s" %s>%s</td>
+        <td %s>',
+        $lwidth, NAME_ATTRS, $x, VALUE_ATTRS
+    );
 }
 
 function row2_plain($x, $y) {
diff --git a/html/user/account_finish.php b/html/user/account_finish.php
index c8f8f4ab3e..1c78c6df2f 100644
--- a/html/user/account_finish.php
+++ b/html/user/account_finish.php
@@ -42,11 +42,12 @@ row2(
     sprintf('<input name="name" class="form-control" value="%s">', $user->name)
 );
 row2_init(
-    tra("Country")."<br><small>".tra("Select the country you want to represent, if any.")."</small>",
-    '<select name="country" class="form-control">'
+    tra("Country")."<br><small>".tra("Select the country you want to represent, if any.")."</small>"
 );
+echo '<select name="country" class="form-control">';
 echo country_select_options();
 echo "</select></td></tr>\n";
+
 if (POSTAL_CODE) {
     row2(
         tra("Postal or ZIP Code")."<br><small>".tra("Optional; not shown to others")."</small>",
diff --git a/html/user/forum_post.php b/html/user/forum_post.php
index 4d5890703d..5ca466cca0 100644
--- a/html/user/forum_post.php
+++ b/html/user/forum_post.php
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ if ($force_title && $title){
     );
 }
 
-row2_init(tra("Message").bbcode_info().post_warning($forum).$body_help, "");
+row2_init(tra("Message").bbcode_info().post_warning($forum).$body_help);
 start_table();
 echo $bbcode_html;
 end_table();
diff --git a/html/user/user_search.php b/html/user/user_search.php
index c5fc0a1d33..c936e4a7e6 100644
--- a/html/user/user_search.php
+++ b/html/user/user_search.php
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ function user_search_form() {
         tra("User name starts with"),
         '<input class="form-control" type="text" name="search_string">'
     );
-    row2_init(tra("Country"), "<select class=\"form-control\" name=\"country\"><option value=\"any\" selected>".tra("Any")."</option>");
+    row2_init(tra("Country"));
+    echo "<select class=\"form-control\" name=\"country\"><option value=\"any\" selected>".tra("Any")."</option>";
     echo country_select_options("asdf");
     echo "</select></td></tr>";
     row2(tra("With profile?"),