diff --git a/js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets-filter-formatter.js b/js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets-filter-formatter.js
index 74a4c048..0d9ff1da 100644
--- a/js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets-filter-formatter.js
+++ b/js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets-filter-formatter.js
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
-/*! Filter widget formatter functions - updated 5/8/2013
+/*! Filter widget formatter functions - updated 5/24/2013
  * requires: tableSorter 2.7.7+ and jQuery 1.4.3+
  *
- * jQuery UI spinner
- * jQuery UI slider
- * jQuery UI range slider
- * jQuery UI datepicker (range)
- * HTML5 number (spinner)
- * HTML5 range slider
- * HTML5 color selector
+ * uiSpinner (jQuery UI spinner)
+ * uiSlider (jQuery UI slider)
+ * uiRange (jQuery UI range slider)
+ * uiDateCompare (jQuery UI datepicker; 1 input)
+ * uiDatepicker (jQuery UI datepicker; 2 inputs, filter range)
+ * html5Number (spinner)
+ * html5Range (slider)
+ * html5Color (color)
  */
 /*jshint browser:true, jquery:true, unused:false */
 /*global jQuery: false */
@@ -248,7 +249,7 @@ $.tablesorter.filterFormatter = {
 		// make sure we're using parsed dates in the search
 		$hdr.addClass('filter-parsed');
 		// Add date range picker
-		$('<span>' + o.cellText + '<input type="text" class="date" placeholder="' + $hdr.attr('data-placeholder') + '" />').appendTo($cell);
+		$('<span>' + o.cellText + '<input type="text" class="date" placeholder="' + ($hdr.data('placeholder') || $hdr.attr('data-placeholder') || '') + '" />').appendTo($cell);
 
 		// add callbacks; preserve added callbacks
 		o.oldonClose = o.onClose;
diff --git a/js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets.js b/js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets.js
index a79d42b5..013e0983 100644
--- a/js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets.js
+++ b/js/jquery.tablesorter.widgets.js
@@ -547,7 +547,9 @@ ts.addWidget({
 			buildSelect = function(i, updating, onlyavail){
 				var o, t, arry = [], currentVal;
 				i = parseInt(i, 10);
-				o = '<option value="">' + ($ths.filter('[data-column="' + i + '"]:last').attr('data-placeholder') || '') + '</option>';
+				t = $ths.filter('[data-column="' + i + '"]:last');
+				// t.data('placeholder') won't work in jQuery older than 1.4.3
+				o = '<option value="">' + (t.data('placeholder') || t.attr('data-placeholder') || '') + '</option>';
 				for (k = 0; k < b.length; k++ ){
 					l = c.cache[k].row.length;
 					// loop through the rows
@@ -651,7 +653,7 @@ ts.addWidget({
 							t = $('<input type="search">').appendTo( c.$filters.eq(i) );
 						}
 						if (t) {
-							t.attr('placeholder', $th.attr('data-placeholder') || '');
+							t.attr('placeholder', $th.data('placeholder') || $th.attr('data-placeholder') || '');
 						}
 					}
 					if (t) {
@@ -715,7 +717,7 @@ ts.addWidget({
 							// add custom drop down list
 							for (str in wo.filter_functions[col]){
 								if (typeof str === 'string'){
-									ff += ff === '' ? '<option value="">' + (t.attr('data-placeholder') || '') + '</option>' : '';
+									ff += ff === '' ? '<option value="">' + (t.data('placeholder') || t.attr('data-placeholder') ||  '') + '</option>' : '';
 									ff += '<option value="' + str + '">' + str + '</option>';
 								}
 							}