diff --git a/dhp-workflows/dhp-doiboost/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/doiboost/orcidnodoi/SparkGenEnrichedOrcidWorks.java b/dhp-workflows/dhp-doiboost/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/doiboost/orcidnodoi/SparkGenEnrichedOrcidWorks.java
index b984ee2b2..24f0f7a87 100644
--- a/dhp-workflows/dhp-doiboost/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/doiboost/orcidnodoi/SparkGenEnrichedOrcidWorks.java
+++ b/dhp-workflows/dhp-doiboost/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/doiboost/orcidnodoi/SparkGenEnrichedOrcidWorks.java
@@ -167,6 +167,6 @@ public class SparkGenEnrichedOrcidWorks {
 				return name.getAsString();
 			}
 		}
-		return null;
+		return new String("");
 	}
 }