diff --git a/modules/EvseV2G/charger/ISO15118_chargerImpl.cpp b/modules/EvseV2G/charger/ISO15118_chargerImpl.cpp
index 55d585a85..a1ca76375 100644
--- a/modules/EvseV2G/charger/ISO15118_chargerImpl.cpp
+++ b/modules/EvseV2G/charger/ISO15118_chargerImpl.cpp
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ void ISO15118_chargerImpl::handle_session_setup(std::vector<types::iso15118_char
 void ISO15118_chargerImpl::handle_certificate_response(
     types::iso15118_charger::ResponseExiStreamStatus& exi_stream_status) {
     pthread_mutex_lock(&v2g_ctx->mqtt_lock);
-    if (exi_stream_status.exi_response.has_value()) {
+    if (exi_stream_status.exi_response.has_value() and not exi_stream_status.exi_response.value().empty()) {
         v2g_ctx->evse_v2g_data.cert_install_res_b64_buffer = std::string(exi_stream_status.exi_response.value());
     }
     v2g_ctx->evse_v2g_data.cert_install_status =
diff --git a/modules/OCPP/OCPP.cpp b/modules/OCPP/OCPP.cpp
index 9c6ef24e4..889758469 100644
--- a/modules/OCPP/OCPP.cpp
+++ b/modules/OCPP/OCPP.cpp
@@ -761,8 +761,12 @@ void OCPP::ready() {
                const ocpp::v201::CertificateActionEnum& certificate_action) {
             types::iso15118_charger::ResponseExiStreamStatus response;
             response.status = conversions::to_everest_iso15118_charger_status(certificate_response.status);
-            response.exi_response.emplace(certificate_response.exiResponse.get());
             response.certificate_action = conversions::to_everest_certificate_action_enum(certificate_action);
+            if (not certificate_response.exiResponse.get().empty()) {
+                // since exi_response is an optional in the EVerest type we only set it when not empty
+                response.exi_response.emplace(certificate_response.exiResponse.get());
+            }
+
             this->r_evse_manager.at(this->connector_evse_index_map.at(connector_id))
                 ->call_set_get_certificate_response(response);
         });
diff --git a/modules/OCPP201/OCPP201.cpp b/modules/OCPP201/OCPP201.cpp
index 1a6772577..643134bca 100644
--- a/modules/OCPP201/OCPP201.cpp
+++ b/modules/OCPP201/OCPP201.cpp
@@ -795,10 +795,13 @@ void OCPP201::ready() {
                     conversions::to_ocpp_get_15118_certificate_request(certificate_request));
                 EVLOG_debug << "Received response from get_15118_ev_certificate_request: " << ocpp_response;
                 // transform response, inject action, send to associated EvseManager
-                const auto everest_response_status =
-                    conversions::to_everest_iso15118_charger_status(ocpp_response.status);
-                const types::iso15118_charger::ResponseExiStreamStatus everest_response{
-                    everest_response_status, certificate_request.certificate_action, ocpp_response.exiResponse};
+                types::iso15118_charger::ResponseExiStreamStatus everest_response;
+                everest_response.status = conversions::to_everest_iso15118_charger_status(ocpp_response.status);
+                everest_response.certificate_action = certificate_request.certificate_action;
+                if (not ocpp_response.exiResponse.get().empty()) {
+                    // since exi_response is an optional in the EVerest type we only set it when not empty
+                    everest_response.exi_response = ocpp_response.exiResponse.get();
+                }
                 this->r_evse_manager.at(evse_id - 1)->call_set_get_certificate_response(everest_response);
             });