diff --git a/jackson/src/main/java/org/linguafranca/pwdb/kdbx/jackson/converter/Base64ToByteConverter.java b/jackson/src/main/java/org/linguafranca/pwdb/kdbx/jackson/converter/Base64ToByteConverter.java
index feb67339..66eb416c 100644
--- a/jackson/src/main/java/org/linguafranca/pwdb/kdbx/jackson/converter/Base64ToByteConverter.java
+++ b/jackson/src/main/java/org/linguafranca/pwdb/kdbx/jackson/converter/Base64ToByteConverter.java
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ public class Base64ToByteConverter extends StdConverter<String, byte[]> {
 
     @Override
     public byte[] convert(String value) {
-        byte[] decode = Base64.getDecoder().decode(value);
-        return decode;
+        return Base64.getDecoder().decode(value);
     }
 }
diff --git a/jackson/src/main/java/org/linguafranca/pwdb/kdbx/jackson/converter/Base64ToUUIDConverter.java b/jackson/src/main/java/org/linguafranca/pwdb/kdbx/jackson/converter/Base64ToUUIDConverter.java
index c77c267f..b2b07d29 100644
--- a/jackson/src/main/java/org/linguafranca/pwdb/kdbx/jackson/converter/Base64ToUUIDConverter.java
+++ b/jackson/src/main/java/org/linguafranca/pwdb/kdbx/jackson/converter/Base64ToUUIDConverter.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public class Base64ToUUIDConverter extends StdConverter<String, UUID> {
 
     @Override
     public UUID convert(String value) {
-        if(value == null || value.equals("")) {
+        if(value == null || value.isEmpty()) {
            return UUID.randomUUID(); 
         }
         return Helpers.uuidFromBase64(value);