diff --git a/api/src/main/java/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/edit/n3editing/configuration/preprocessors/AddAssociatedConceptsPreprocessor.java b/api/src/main/java/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/edit/n3editing/configuration/preprocessors/AddAssociatedConceptsPreprocessor.java
index 8fec071a..d7b17b90 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/edit/n3editing/configuration/preprocessors/AddAssociatedConceptsPreprocessor.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/edit/n3editing/configuration/preprocessors/AddAssociatedConceptsPreprocessor.java
@@ -758,7 +758,7 @@ public class AddAssociatedConceptsPreprocessor extends
 				if(numberLabels == 1) {
 					String label = conceptSemanticTypeLabels[0];
 					String  uri = getURIForSemanticTypeLabel(label);
-					if(uri != "") {
+					if(!StringUtils.isEmpty(uri)) {
 						String[] urisToAdd = new String[1];
 						urisToAdd[0] = uri;
 						pseudoInputString = new StringBuilder(uri);