diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/socialnetworking/socialtoken/SanitizedURL.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/socialnetworking/socialtoken/SanitizedURL.java
index b9a35b6..358f81d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/socialnetworking/socialtoken/SanitizedURL.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/socialnetworking/socialtoken/SanitizedURL.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import java.util.Objects;
  */
 public class SanitizedURL {
 	
-	private static String CHARACTERS_TO_REMOVE = "[\\.\\,\\;\\(\\)\\:\\\"\\'\\“\\”\\‘\\’\\«\\»]";
+	private static String CHARACTERS_TO_REMOVE = "[\\{\\}\\[\\]\\.\\,\\;\\(\\)\\:\\\"\\'\\“\\”\\‘\\’\\«\\»]";
 	
 	protected String prefix;
 	protected String postfix;
@@ -21,13 +21,10 @@ public class SanitizedURL {
 			throw new MalformedURLException();
 		}
 		
-		prefix = urlString.substring(0,1);
-		if(prefix.matches(CHARACTERS_TO_REMOVE)) {
-			prefix = urlString.substring(0, 1);
-			urlString = urlString.substring(1);
-		}else {
-			prefix = "";
-		}
+		prefix = "";
+		postfix = "";
+		
+		urlString = stripPrefix(urlString);
 		
 		if(urlString.startsWith("www.")) {
 			urlString = "http://" + urlString;
@@ -36,12 +33,33 @@ public class SanitizedURL {
 		postfix = "";
 		urlString = stripPostfix(urlString);
 		
+		
+		
 		url = new URL(urlString);
 	}
 
-	private String stripPostfix(String urlString) {
-		String testPostFix = urlString.substring(urlString.length()-1);
-		if(testPostFix.matches(CHARACTERS_TO_REMOVE)) {
+	private String stripPrefix(String urlString) throws MalformedURLException {
+		if(Objects.isNull(urlString) || urlString.isEmpty() || urlString.length()<2) {
+			throw new MalformedURLException();
+		}
+		
+		String testPrefix = urlString.substring(0,1);
+		if(testPrefix.matches(CHARACTERS_TO_REMOVE)) {
+			prefix = prefix + urlString.substring(0, 1);
+			urlString = urlString.substring(1);
+			urlString = stripPrefix(urlString);
+		}
+		
+		return urlString;
+	}
+	
+	private String stripPostfix(String urlString) throws MalformedURLException {
+		if(Objects.isNull(urlString) || urlString.isEmpty() || urlString.length()<2) {
+			throw new MalformedURLException();
+		}
+		
+		String testPostfix = urlString.substring(urlString.length()-1);
+		if(testPostfix.matches(CHARACTERS_TO_REMOVE)) {
 			postfix = urlString.substring(urlString.length()-1) + postfix;
 			urlString = urlString.substring(0, urlString.length()-1);
 			
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/gcube/social_networking/socialutillibrary/MessageParserTest.java b/src/test/java/org/gcube/social_networking/socialutillibrary/MessageParserTest.java
index 8bd5521..298ac82 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/gcube/social_networking/socialutillibrary/MessageParserTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/gcube/social_networking/socialutillibrary/MessageParserTest.java
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public class MessageParserTest {
 			+ "\n"
 			+ "Just a kind reminder that we look forward to welcoming all of you during the Project’s upcoming Blue-Cloud “Service Exploitation & Sustainability Plan (SE&SP) and Roadmap to 2030” Workshop next Thursday, January 21st (9.30am to 1.30pm). Everyone's welcome for an interactive and productive discussion.\n"
 			+ "\n"
-			+ "Please find here a link to the workshop Agenda (https://data.d4science.net/tfXA), including connection details.\n"
+			+ "Please find here a link to the workshop Agenda, (https://data.d4science.net/tfXA), including connection details.\n"
 			+ "\n"
 			+ "As discussed, the workshop will provide an opportunity to share the high-level results of the initial phase of stakeholder consultations towards the B-C Roadmap and to work within the Partnership to discuss and align some of the underlying, strategic concepts and ideas that will set the direction for the B-C SE&SP and B-C Roadmap to 2030.\n"
 			+ "\n"
@@ -71,6 +71,20 @@ public class MessageParserTest {
 			+ "Kind regards,\n"
 			+ "Julia";
 	
+	public static final String TEST_BUG_18356_2 = "Dear B-C colleagues,\n"
+			+ "\n"
+			+ "Just a kind reminder that we look forward to welcoming all of you during the Project’s upcoming Blue-Cloud “Service Exploitation & Sustainability Plan (SE&SP) and Roadmap to 2030” Workshop next Thursday, January 21st (9.30am to 1.30pm). Everyone's welcome for an interactive and productive discussion.\n"
+			+ "\n"
+			+ "Please find here a link to the workshop Agenda [(https://data.d4science.net/tfXA)], including connection details.\n"
+			+ "\n"
+			+ "As discussed, the workshop will provide an opportunity to share the high-level results of the initial phase of stakeholder consultations towards the B-C Roadmap and to work within the Partnership to discuss and align some of the underlying, strategic concepts and ideas that will set the direction for the B-C SE&SP and B-C Roadmap to 2030.\n"
+			+ "\n"
+			+ "To inform the discussions to be held during the workshop, we have produced a report bringing together all the feedback, messages and recommendations gathered during the initial phase of stakeholder consultations (available here - https://data.d4science.net/JEm7). It is a long document, but we have included a one-page Executive Summary with high-level, key messages & recommendations, in case useful.\n"
+			+ "\n"
+			+ "We look forward to a productive discussion with you next Thursday!\n"
+			+ "\n"
+			+ "Kind regards,\n"
+			+ "Julia";
 	
 	@Test
 	public void test13() {
@@ -123,6 +137,16 @@ public class MessageParserTest {
 		logger.debug("{}", messageParser.getParsedMessage());
 		messageParser = new SocialMessageParser(TEST_BUG_18356);
 		logger.debug("{}", messageParser.getParsedMessage());
+		messageParser = new SocialMessageParser(TEST_BUG_18356_2);
+		logger.debug("{}", messageParser.getParsedMessage());
+		messageParser = new SocialMessageParser(":)");
+		logger.debug("{}", messageParser.getParsedMessage());
+	}
+	
+	@Test
+	public void parseNonURL() {
+		SocialMessageParser messageParser = new SocialMessageParser(":)");
+		logger.debug("{}", messageParser.getParsedMessage());
 	}
 
 	@Test(expected=MalformedURLException.class)