diff --git a/gsrs-module-substance-example/src/main/resources/gsrs-h2-local.conf b/gsrs-module-substance-example/src/main/resources/gsrs-h2-local.conf
index 5377e4448..546d6d391 100644
--- a/gsrs-module-substance-example/src/main/resources/gsrs-h2-local.conf
+++ b/gsrs-module-substance-example/src/main/resources/gsrs-h2-local.conf
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ ix.h2 {
       }
 
 spring.datasource.url="jdbc:h2:"${ix.h2.base}"/ginas;mv_store=false"
-spring.datasource.username=sa
+spring.datasource.username=""
 spring.datasource.password=""
 spring.datasource.driverClassName=org.h2.Driver
 spring.jpa.database-platform=org.hibernate.dialect.H2Dialect
diff --git a/gsrs-module-substances-core/src/main/java/ix/ginas/utils/validation/ValidationUtils.java b/gsrs-module-substances-core/src/main/java/ix/ginas/utils/validation/ValidationUtils.java
index 4316a1f73..b00f4fca0 100644
--- a/gsrs-module-substances-core/src/main/java/ix/ginas/utils/validation/ValidationUtils.java
+++ b/gsrs-module-substances-core/src/main/java/ix/ginas/utils/validation/ValidationUtils.java
@@ -1799,10 +1799,17 @@ public static List<Substance> findLayerNDefinitionalDuplicateCandidates(Substanc
                 try {
                     SearchOptions options = new SearchOptions();
                     SearchResult sr = defHashCalcRequirements.getSubstanceLegacySearchService().search(request.getQuery(), options);
+                    
+                    //this might not be necessary anymore
                     sr.waitForFinish();
-                    List fut = sr.getMatches();
-                    List<Substance> hits = (List<Substance>) fut.stream()
-                            .map(s -> (Substance) s)
+                    
+                    List<Object> fut = sr.getMatches();
+                    List<Substance> hits = fut.stream()
+                            .map(s ->(Substance)s)
+                            .filter(ss->{
+                                //filter out exact matches
+                                return !substance.getOrGenerateUUID().equals(ss.getOrGenerateUUID());
+                            })
                             .collect(Collectors.toList());
                     return hits;
                 } catch (Exception ex) {