old_contents: # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
  
  from django import template
  from django.template.base import Node, TemplateSyntaxError
  from django.utils.encoding import smart_text
  
  register = template.Library()
  
  
  class FirstOfAsNode(Node):
      def __init__(self, vars, variable_name=None):
          self.vars = vars
          self.variable_name = variable_name
  
      def render(self, context):
          for var in self.vars:
              value = var.resolve(context, True)
  
              if value:
                  if self.variable_name:
                      context[self.variable_name] = value
                      break
  
                  else:
                      return smart_text(value)
  
              return ''
  
  
  @register.tag(name="firstofas")
  def do_firstofas(parser, token):
      """ Original idea: https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/12199 """
  
      bits = token.split_contents()[1:]
      variable_name = None
      expecting_save_as = bits[-2] == 'as'
  
      if expecting_save_as:
          variable_name = bits.pop(-1)
          bits = bits[:-1]
  
      if len(bits) < 1:
          raise TemplateSyntaxError(
              "'firstofas' statement requires at least one argument")
  
      return FirstOfAsNode([parser.compile_filter(bit) for bit in bits],
                           variable_name)
  
new_contents: # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
  
  from django import template
  from django.template.base import Node, TemplateSyntaxError
  from django.utils.encoding import smart_text
  
  register = template.Library()
  
  
  class FirstOfAsNode(Node):
      def __init__(self, args, variable_name=None):
          self.vars = args
          self.variable_name = variable_name
  
      def render(self, context):
          for var in self.vars:
              value = var.resolve(context, True)
  
              if value:
                  print('FOUND %s: %s' % (self.variable_name, value))
  
                  if self.variable_name:
                      context[self.variable_name] = value
                      break
  
                  else:
                      return smart_text(value)
  
          return ''
  
  
  @register.tag
  def firstofas(parser, token):
      """ Original idea: https://code.djangoproject.com/ticket/12199 """
  
      bits = token.split_contents()[1:]
      variable_name = None
      expecting_save_as = bits[-2] == 'as'
  
      if expecting_save_as:
          variable_name = bits.pop(-1)
          bits = bits[:-1]
  
      if len(bits) < 1:
          raise TemplateSyntaxError(
              "'firstofas' statement requires at least one argument")
  
      return FirstOfAsNode([parser.compile_filter(bit) for bit in bits],
                           variable_name)
  
subject: Fix the `firstofas` template tag returning '' too early.