diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_utils.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_utils.py
index 5e93d75069..0977e8a180 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -178,6 +178,22 @@ class CoursewareContextTestCase(ModuleStoreTestCase):
         assertThreadCorrect(threads[0], self.discussion1, "Chapter / Discussion 1")
         assertThreadCorrect(threads[1], self.discussion2, "Subsection / Discussion 2")
 
+    def test_empty_discussion_subcategory_title(self):
+        """
+        Test that for empty subcategory inline discussion modules,
+        the divider " / " is not rendered on a post or inline discussion topic label.
+        """
+        discussion = ItemFactory.create(
+            parent_location=self.course.location,
+            category="discussion",
+            discussion_id="discussion",
+            discussion_category="Chapter",
+            discussion_target=""  # discussion-subcategory
+        )
+        thread = {"commentable_id": discussion.discussion_id}
+        utils.add_courseware_context([thread], self.course, self.user)
+        self.assertNotIn('/', thread.get("courseware_title"))
+
     @ddt.data((ModuleStoreEnum.Type.mongo, 2), (ModuleStoreEnum.Type.split, 1))
     @ddt.unpack
     def test_get_accessible_discussion_xblocks(self, modulestore_type, expected_discussion_xblocks):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
index 6d8808fdee..cd49c871d1 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/utils.py
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ def get_discussion_id_map_entry(xblock):
         xblock.discussion_id,
         {
             "location": xblock.location,
-            "title": xblock.discussion_category.split("/")[-1].strip() + " / " + xblock.discussion_target
+            "title": xblock.discussion_category.split("/")[-1].strip() + (" / " + xblock.discussion_target if xblock.discussion_target else "")
         }
     )
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_discussion_inline.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_discussion_inline.html
index f4d87fb6e2..a1bb344769 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_discussion_inline.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_discussion_inline.html
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ from openedx.core.djangolib.js_utils import js_escaped_string
     data-read-only="${'false' if can_create_thread else 'true'}">
     <div class="discussion-module-header">
         <h3 class="hd hd-3 discussion-module-title">${_(display_name)}</h3>
-        <div class="inline-discussion-topic"><span class="inline-discussion-topic-title">${_("Topic:")}</span> ${discussion_category} / ${discussion_target}</div>
+        <div class="inline-discussion-topic"><span class="inline-discussion-topic-title">${_("Topic:")}</span> ${discussion_category}
+              % if discussion_target:
+                    / ${discussion_target}
+              %endif
+           </div>
     </div>
     <button class="discussion-show btn" data-discussion-id="${discussion_id}">
         <span class="button-text">${_("Show Discussion")}</span>
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_filter_dropdown.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_filter_dropdown.html
index f18e8309d6..4e27d513dc 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_filter_dropdown.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_filter_dropdown.html
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ from openedx.core.djangolib.markup import HTML
         data-cohorted="${str(entries[entry]['is_cohorted']).lower()}"
         role="option"
     >
+         % if entry:
         <span class="forum-nav-browse-title">${entry}</span>
+         %endif
     </li>
 </%def>