diff --git a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvbase.cc b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvbase.cc
index d407edd62..01a5f571a 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvbase.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvbase.cc
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ bool SkipUnknownTlv(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset)
 
 	/* extract the type and size */
 	void *tlvstart = right_shift_void_pointer(data, *offset);
-	uint16_t tlvtype = GetTlvType(tlvstart);
+	//uint16_t tlvtype = GetTlvType(tlvstart);
 	uint32_t tlvsize = GetTlvSize(tlvstart);
 
 	/* check that there is size */
@@ -409,7 +409,15 @@ bool GetTlvString(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset,
 	if (!data)
 		return false;
 
-	if (size < *offset + TLV_HEADER_SIZE)
+	// Check if we have a null string (this happens with certs)
+	//
+	if (size == *offset)
+	{
+	   in = "" ;
+	   return true ;
+	}
+
+	if (size < *offset)
 	{
 #ifdef TLV_BASE_DEBUG
 		std::cerr << "GetTlvString() FAILED - not enough space" << std::endl;
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvkeys.cc b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvkeys.cc
index 542285285..622911fe1 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvkeys.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvkeys.cc
@@ -427,7 +427,11 @@ bool  RsTlvKeySignature::GetTlv(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset) /*
 
 	ok &= GetTlvString(data, tlvend, offset, TLV_TYPE_STR_KEYID, keyId);
 	ok &= signData.GetTlv(data, tlvend, offset);  
-        ok &= GetTlvString(data, tlvend, offset, TLV_TYPE_STR_CERT_SSL, sslCert);
+
+	// The ssl cert is possibly void, i.e. an empty string. This is handled by
+	// GetTlvString().
+	//
+	ok &= GetTlvString(data, tlvend, offset, TLV_TYPE_STR_CERT_SSL, sslCert);
    
 	/***************************************************************************
 	 * NB: extra components could be added (for future expansion of the type).