diff --git a/CentralRepository/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/centralrepository/datamodel/PostgresEamDbSettings.java b/CentralRepository/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/centralrepository/datamodel/PostgresEamDbSettings.java
index 92d60155e8..a2abe7f23d 100644
--- a/CentralRepository/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/centralrepository/datamodel/PostgresEamDbSettings.java
+++ b/CentralRepository/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/centralrepository/datamodel/PostgresEamDbSettings.java
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ public final class PostgresEamDbSettings {
         }
 
         String badTagsStr = ModuleSettings.getConfigSetting("CentralRepository", "db.badTags"); // NON-NLS
-        if (badTagsStr == null || badTagsStr.isEmpty()) {
+        if (badTagsStr == null) {
             badTagsStr = DEFAULT_BAD_TAGS;
         }
         badTags = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(badTagsStr.split(",")));
diff --git a/CentralRepository/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/centralrepository/datamodel/SqliteEamDbSettings.java b/CentralRepository/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/centralrepository/datamodel/SqliteEamDbSettings.java
index 32079777c7..ef9cb662da 100644
--- a/CentralRepository/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/centralrepository/datamodel/SqliteEamDbSettings.java
+++ b/CentralRepository/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/centralrepository/datamodel/SqliteEamDbSettings.java
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ public final class SqliteEamDbSettings {
         }
 
         String badTagsStr = ModuleSettings.getConfigSetting("CentralRepository", "db.badTags"); // NON-NLS
-        if (badTagsStr == null || badTagsStr.isEmpty()) {
+        if (badTagsStr == null) {
             badTagsStr = DEFAULT_BAD_TAGS;
         }
         badTags = new ArrayList<>(Arrays.asList(badTagsStr.split(",")));