diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/Rethink.java b/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/Rethink.java
index 2a14fac..6b2b137 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/Rethink.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/Rethink.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package com.bbn.hadder;
 
 import com.bbn.hadder.core.Config;
 import com.rethinkdb.RethinkDB;
-import com.rethinkdb.gen.exc.ReqlNonExistenceError;
 import com.rethinkdb.gen.exc.ReqlOpFailedError;
 import com.rethinkdb.net.Connection;
 import org.json.JSONArray;
@@ -126,10 +125,10 @@ public class Rethink {
         this.insert("server", r
                 .hashMap("id", id)
                 .with("prefix", "h.")
-                .with("message_id", null)
-                .with("role_id", null)
+                .with("message_id", "")
+                .with("role_id", "")
                 .with("invite_detect", false)
-                .with("starboard", null)
+                .with("starboard", "")
                 .with("neededstars", "4")
         );
     }
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ public class Rethink {
 
     // TODO
     public boolean hasStarboardChannel(String guild_id) {
-        return this.getByID("server", guild_id, "starboard") != null;
+        return !this.getByID("server", guild_id, "starboard").equals("");
     }
     // TODO
     public void insertStarboardMessage(String message_id, String guild_id, String starboard_message_id) {
@@ -160,12 +159,7 @@ public class Rethink {
     }
     // TODO
     public boolean hasStarboardMessage(String message_id) {
-        try {
-            this.getByID("stars", message_id, "guild");
-            return true;
-        } catch (ReqlNonExistenceError e) {
-            return false;
-        }
+        return this.getByID("stars", message_id, "guild") != null;
     }
 
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/RethinkServer.java b/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/RethinkServer.java
index ee88da6..c15c448 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/RethinkServer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/RethinkServer.java
@@ -24,15 +24,15 @@ public class RethinkServer {
 
     private Rethink rethink;
 
-    public String accept_emote = null;
-    public String decline_emote = null;
-    public String id;
-    public boolean invite_detect = false;
-    public String message_id = null;
-    public String neededstars = "3";
-    public String prefix = "h.";
-    public String role_id = null;
-    public String starboard = null;
+    String accept_emote = "";
+    String decline_emote = "";
+    String id;
+    boolean invite_detect = false;
+    String message_id = "";
+    String neededstars = "3";
+    String prefix = "h.";
+    String role_id = "";
+    String starboard = "";
 
     public RethinkServer(JSONObject object, Rethink rethink) {
         for (Field field : this.getClass().getDeclaredFields()) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/RethinkUser.java b/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/RethinkUser.java
index 760e79d..1d99ac5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/RethinkUser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/RethinkUser.java
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ public class RethinkUser {
 
     private Rethink rethink;
 
-    public String id;
-    public String prefix = "h.";
-    public String language = "en";
-    public String blacklisted = null;
+    String id;
+    String prefix = "h.";
+    String language = "en";
+    String blacklisted = "none";
 
     public RethinkUser(JSONObject object, Rethink rethink) {
         for (Field field : this.getClass().getDeclaredFields()) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/core/CommandHandler.java b/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/core/CommandHandler.java
index 78f2848..5f2029c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/core/CommandHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/bbn/hadder/core/CommandHandler.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public class CommandHandler {
 
                     boolean run = true;
                     String blacklisted = rethinkUser.getBlacklisted();
-                    if (null != blacklisted) {
+                    if (!"none".equals(blacklisted)) {
                         for (String BLLabel : blacklisted.split(",")) {
                             if (Arrays.asList(cmd.labels()).contains(BLLabel)) {
                                 run = false;