diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/util/StringHelper.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/util/StringHelper.java
index a15db3629..59cd663ad 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/util/StringHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/util/StringHelper.java
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ public class StringHelper {
         }
       }
       // we have finished parsing the string...
-      return;
+
     } else {
       // get the delimited value... add it..
       String value = str.substring(startPos, endPos);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/lib/util/StringHelper.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/lib/util/StringHelper.java
index f2cf0e0f6..019a8c8bc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/lib/util/StringHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/lib/util/StringHelper.java
@@ -252,24 +252,20 @@ public class StringHelper {
 			if (startPos <= str.length()) {
 				String lastValue = str.substring(startPos, str.length());
 				// dp("lastValue="+lastValue);
-				if (!keepEmpties && lastValue.length() == 0) {
-					// dp("not keeping...");
-				} else {
-					list.add(lastValue);
-				}
-			}
+        if (keepEmpties || lastValue.length() != 0) {
+          list.add(lastValue);
+        }
+      }
 			// we have finished parsing the string...
-			return;
+
 		} else {
 			// get the delimited value... add it..
 			String value = str.substring(startPos, endPos);
 			// dp(startPos+","+endPos+" value="+value);
-			if (!keepEmpties && value.length() == 0) {
-				// dp("not keeping...");
-			} else {
-				list.add(value);
-			}
-			// recursively search as we are not at the end yet...
+      if (keepEmpties || value.length() != 0) {
+        list.add(value);
+      }
+      // recursively search as we are not at the end yet...
 			delimiter(str, delimiter, keepEmpties, endPos + 1, list);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/SqlTreeBuilder.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/SqlTreeBuilder.java
index c3ce4d9d6..e104773ac 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/SqlTreeBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/SqlTreeBuilder.java
@@ -308,10 +308,7 @@ public class SqlTreeBuilder {
     IncludesDistiller extraJoinDistill = new IncludesDistiller(desc, selectIncludes, predicateIncludes);
 
     Collection<SqlTreeNodeExtraJoin> extraJoins = extraJoinDistill.getExtraJoinRootNodes();
-    if (extraJoins.isEmpty()) {
-      return;
-
-    } else {
+    if (!extraJoins.isEmpty()) {
       // add extra joins required to support predicates
       // and/or order by clause
       for (SqlTreeNodeExtraJoin extraJoin: extraJoins) {