diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
index 3d7e0c488..c27b0baaa 100644
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -1252,6 +1252,9 @@ if(! function_exists('get_birthdays')) {
 			'$event_reminders' => t('Birthday Reminders'),
 			'$event_title' => t('Birthdays this week:'),
 			'$events' => $r,
+			'$lbr' => '{',  // raw brackets mess up if/endif macro processing
+			'$rbr' => '}'
+
 		));
 	}
 }
diff --git a/view/theme/slackr/birthdays_reminder.tpl b/view/theme/slackr/birthdays_reminder.tpl
index 4a691dea3..1dc65295a 100644
--- a/view/theme/slackr/birthdays_reminder.tpl
+++ b/view/theme/slackr/birthdays_reminder.tpl
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
+{{ if $classtoday }}
 <script>
-	$(document).ready(function() {
+	$(document).ready(function() $lbr
 		$('#events-reminder').addClass($.trim('$classtoday'));
-	});
+	$rbr);
 </script>
+{{ endif }}
+