diff --git a/readux_ingest_ecds/services/metadata_services.py b/readux_ingest_ecds/services/metadata_services.py
index 9c9c775..3eea913 100644
--- a/readux_ingest_ecds/services/metadata_services.py
+++ b/readux_ingest_ecds/services/metadata_services.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ def clean_metadata(metadata):
             else key
         ): value
         for key, value in metadata.items()
+        if key is not None
     }
 
     if "metadata" not in metadata.keys():
diff --git a/test_app/tests/test_ocr.py b/test_app/tests/test_ocr.py
index dc951d1..8bb526a 100644
--- a/test_app/tests/test_ocr.py
+++ b/test_app/tests/test_ocr.py
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ def test_empty_xml(self):
         local.refresh_from_db()
         local.success()
         assert local.warnings.startswith(
-            f"Canvas {canvas.pid} - XMLSyntaxError: Document is empty, line 1, column 1 (<string>, line 1)\n"
+            f"Canvas {canvas.pid} - XMLSyntaxError: Document is empty, line 1, column 1 (<string>, line 1)$$$$"
         )
         assert "XMLSyntaxError" in mail.outbox[0].body