diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailcore/models.py b/wagtail/wagtailcore/models.py
index e8def632b..8311f28c3 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailcore/models.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailcore/models.py
@@ -661,7 +661,9 @@ class Page(six.with_metaclass(PageBase, AbstractPage, index.Indexed, Clusterable
         override this if you wish to display extra contextual information about the page,
         such as language. By default, returns ``draft_title``.
         """
-        return self.draft_title
+        # Fall back on title if draft_title is blank (which may happen if the page was created
+        # in a fixture or migration that didn't explicitly handle draft_title)
+        return self.draft_title or self.title
 
     def save_revision(self, user=None, submitted_for_moderation=False, approved_go_live_at=None, changed=True):
         self.full_clean()
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailcore/tests/test_page_model.py b/wagtail/wagtailcore/tests/test_page_model.py
index 18642e9c8..20ad75115 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailcore/tests/test_page_model.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailcore/tests/test_page_model.py
@@ -90,6 +90,16 @@ class TestValidation(TestCase):
         homepage = Page.objects.get(url_path='/home/')
         self.assertEqual(homepage.draft_title, homepage.get_admin_display_title())
 
+    def test_get_admin_display_title_with_blank_draft_title(self):
+        # Display title should fall back on the live title if draft_title is blank;
+        # this can happen if the page was created through fixtures or migrations that
+        # didn't explicitly account for draft_title
+        # (since draft_title doesn't get populated automatically on save in those cases)
+        Page.objects.filter(url_path='/home/').update(title='live title', draft_title='')
+        homepage = Page.objects.get(url_path='/home/')
+
+        self.assertEqual(homepage.get_admin_display_title(), 'live title')
+
     def test_draft_title_is_autopopulated(self):
         homepage = Page.objects.get(url_path='/home/')