diff --git a/gsrs-module-substances-core/src/main/java/ix/ginas/utils/validation/validators/CodesValidator.java b/gsrs-module-substances-core/src/main/java/ix/ginas/utils/validation/validators/CodesValidator.java
index 9e44acf5..837092c3 100644
--- a/gsrs-module-substances-core/src/main/java/ix/ginas/utils/validation/validators/CodesValidator.java
+++ b/gsrs-module-substances-core/src/main/java/ix/ginas/utils/validation/validators/CodesValidator.java
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ public void validate(Substance s, Substance objold, ValidatorCallback callback)
                      callback.addMessage(mes);
                 }
 
-                if(!HtmlUtil.isValid(cd.comments)) {
+                if(cd.comments!=null && !cd.comments.isEmpty() && !HtmlUtil.isValid(cd.comments)) {
                      cd.comments=HtmlUtil.clean(cd.comments, "UTF-8");
                      GinasProcessingMessage mes = GinasProcessingMessage
                                 .WARNING_MESSAGE(