diff --git a/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/redaction/v1/server/redaction/service/EntityRedactionService.java b/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/redaction/v1/server/redaction/service/EntityRedactionService.java
index a8e148cd..1cacb00e 100644
--- a/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/redaction/v1/server/redaction/service/EntityRedactionService.java
+++ b/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/redaction/v1/server/redaction/service/EntityRedactionService.java
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ public class EntityRedactionService {
 
     private void addSectionToManualRedactions(List<TextBlock> textBlocks, ManualRedactions manualRedactions, String section, int sectionNumber) {
 
-        if (manualRedactions == null) {
+        if (manualRedactions == null || manualRedactions.getEntriesToAdd().isEmpty()) {
             return;
         }
 
diff --git a/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/redaction/v1/server/redaction/utils/IdBuilder.java b/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/redaction/v1/server/redaction/utils/IdBuilder.java
index b159a194..d40f7074 100644
--- a/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/redaction/v1/server/redaction/utils/IdBuilder.java
+++ b/redaction-service-v1/redaction-service-server-v1/src/main/java/com/iqser/red/service/redaction/v1/server/redaction/utils/IdBuilder.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package com.iqser.red.service.redaction.v1.server.redaction.utils;
 
+import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import com.google.common.hash.HashFunction;
@@ -21,11 +22,11 @@ public class IdBuilder {
             sb.append(textPosition.getTextMatrix());
         }));
 
-        return hashFunction.hashBytes(sb.toString().getBytes()).toString();
+        return hashFunction.hashString(sb.toString(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8).toString();
     }
 
 
     public String buildId(ManualRedactionEntry manualRedactionEntry) {
-        return hashFunction.hashBytes(manualRedactionEntry.toString().getBytes()).toString();
+        return hashFunction.hashString(manualRedactionEntry.toString(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8).toString();
     }
 }