diff --git a/source/core/StarDirectives.cpp b/source/core/StarDirectives.cpp
index fd4ee46..7149f70 100644
--- a/source/core/StarDirectives.cpp
+++ b/source/core/StarDirectives.cpp
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ Directives::Entry::Entry(Entry const& other) {
 }
 
 StringView Directives::Entry::string(Shared const& parent) const {
-  StringView result(parent.string);
-  result = result.substr(begin, length);
+  StringView result = parent.string;
+  result = result.utf8().substr(begin, length);
   return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/source/core/StarImageProcessing.cpp b/source/core/StarImageProcessing.cpp
index 0330a2d..8473975 100644
--- a/source/core/StarImageProcessing.cpp
+++ b/source/core/StarImageProcessing.cpp
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ ImageOperation imageOperationFromString(StringView string) {
   try {
     List<StringView> bits;
     string.forEachSplitAnyView("=;", [&](StringView split, size_t, size_t) {
-      bits.emplace_back(split);
+      if (!split.empty())
+        bits.emplace_back(split);
     });
 
     String type = bits.at(0);