diff --git a/R/init.R b/R/init.R
index e81f3bc5a..791e08107 100644
--- a/R/init.R
+++ b/R/init.R
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@
 init <- function(data,
                  modules,
                  filter = teal_slices(),
-                 title = build_app_title(),
-                 header = tags$p(),
-                 footer = tags$p(),
+                 title = NULL,
+                 header = NULL,
+                 footer = NULL,
                  id = character(0)) {
   logger::log_debug("init initializing teal app with: data ('{ class(data) }').")
 
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ modify_title <- function(
 #'   )
 #'
 #' shinyApp(app$ui, app$server)
-modify_header <- function(app, header = "test") {
+modify_header <- function(app, header = tags$p()) {
   res <- app
   res$ui <- function(request, ...) {
     args <- list(...)
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ modify_header <- function(app, header = "test") {
 #'   modify_footer("Custom footer")
 #'
 #' shinyApp(app$ui, app$server)
-modify_footer <- function(app, footer = "test") {
+modify_footer <- function(app, footer = tags$p()) {
   res <- app
   res$ui <- function(request, ...) {
     args <- list(...)
diff --git a/man/init.Rd b/man/init.Rd
index cdb3b09c5..33cee85f9 100644
--- a/man/init.Rd
+++ b/man/init.Rd
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ init(
   data,
   modules,
   filter = teal_slices(),
-  title = build_app_title(),
-  header = tags$p(),
-  footer = tags$p(),
+  title = NULL,
+  header = NULL,
+  footer = NULL,
   id = character(0)
 )
 }
diff --git a/man/modify_footer.Rd b/man/modify_footer.Rd
index b25a4d8d9..d7bf48d8b 100644
--- a/man/modify_footer.Rd
+++ b/man/modify_footer.Rd
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 \alias{modify_footer}
 \title{Add a Footer to a \code{teal} App}
 \usage{
-modify_footer(app, footer = "test")
+modify_footer(app, footer = tags$p())
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{app}{(\code{environment}) The \code{teal} app environment.}
diff --git a/man/modify_header.Rd b/man/modify_header.Rd
index 93ab8ada7..f4a13aeb5 100644
--- a/man/modify_header.Rd
+++ b/man/modify_header.Rd
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 \alias{modify_header}
 \title{Add a Header to a \code{teal} App}
 \usage{
-modify_header(app, header = "test")
+modify_header(app, header = tags$p())
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{app}{(\code{environment}) The \code{teal} app environment.}