diff --git a/metacat-common-server/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/common/server/properties/ParentChildRelationshipProperties.java b/metacat-common-server/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/common/server/properties/ParentChildRelationshipProperties.java
index c8152595..39aae354 100644
--- a/metacat-common-server/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/common/server/properties/ParentChildRelationshipProperties.java
+++ b/metacat-common-server/src/main/java/com/netflix/metacat/common/server/properties/ParentChildRelationshipProperties.java
@@ -58,11 +58,9 @@ public ParentChildRelationshipProperties(@Nullable final Environment env) {
      * @param  configStr configString
      */
     public void setMaxAllowPerTablePerRelType(@Nullable final String configStr) {
-        if (configStr == null || configStr.isEmpty()) {
-            return;
-        }
         try {
-            this.maxAllowPerTablePerRelType = parseNestedConfigString(configStr);
+            this.maxAllowPerTablePerRelType = configStr == null || configStr.isEmpty()
+                ? new HashMap<>() : parseNestedConfigString(configStr);
         } catch (Exception e) {
             log.error("Fail to apply configStr = {} for maxAllowPerTablePerRelType", configStr, e);
         }
@@ -74,11 +72,9 @@ public void setMaxAllowPerTablePerRelType(@Nullable final String configStr) {
      * @param  configStr configString
      */
     public void setMaxAllowPerDBPerRelType(@Nullable final String configStr) {
-        if (configStr == null || configStr.isEmpty()) {
-            return;
-        }
         try {
-            this.maxAllowPerDBPerRelType = parseNestedConfigString(configStr);
+            this.maxAllowPerDBPerRelType = configStr == null || configStr.isEmpty()
+                ? new HashMap<>() : parseNestedConfigString(configStr);
         } catch (Exception e) {
             log.error("Fail to apply configStr = {} for maxCloneAllowPerDBPerRelType", configStr);
         }
@@ -89,12 +85,10 @@ public void setMaxAllowPerDBPerRelType(@Nullable final String configStr) {
      * @param  configStr configString
      */
     public void setDefaultMaxAllowPerRelType(@Nullable final String configStr) {
-        if (configStr == null || configStr.isEmpty()) {
-            return;
-        }
         try {
-            this.defaultMaxAllowPerRelType =
-                Arrays.stream(configStr.split(";"))
+            this.defaultMaxAllowPerRelType = configStr == null || configStr.isEmpty()
+                ? new HashMap<>()
+                : Arrays.stream(configStr.split(";"))
                     .map(entry -> entry.split(","))
                     .collect(Collectors.toMap(
                         parts -> parts[0],
diff --git a/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec.groovy b/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec.groovy
index c199b12f..101b833c 100644
--- a/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec.groovy
+++ b/metacat-functional-tests/src/functionalTest/groovy/com/netflix/metacat/ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec.groovy
@@ -618,4 +618,38 @@ class ParentChildRelMetadataServiceSpec extends Specification{
         1        |  "CLONE,5"               | "CLONE,test,3;OTHER,other,2"|  "CLONE,testhive/test/parent,2"                               | 2
         1        |  "CLONE,5;Other,3"       | "CLONE,test,3;CLONE,other,2"|  "CLONE,testhive/test/parent,2;CLONE,testhive/test/other,2"   | 2
     }
+
+    def "test empty/null input string for config"() {
+        given:
+        def parentChildProps = new ParentChildRelationshipProperties(null)
+
+        when: "Setting properties to non empty string"
+        parentChildProps.setDefaultMaxAllowPerRelType("CLONE,5;Other,3")
+        parentChildProps.setMaxAllowPerDBPerRelType("CLONE,test,3;CLONE,other,2")
+        parentChildProps.setMaxAllowPerTablePerRelType("CLONE,testhive/test/parent,2;CLONE,testhive/test/other,2")
+
+        then:
+        assert parentChildProps.getDefaultMaxAllowPerRelType().size() == 2
+        assert parentChildProps.getMaxAllowPerDBPerRelType().size() == 2
+        assert parentChildProps.getMaxAllowPerTablePerRelType().size() == 2
+
+        when: "Setting properties to empty or null based on the isEmpty flag"
+        if (isEmpty) {
+            parentChildProps.setDefaultMaxAllowPerRelType("")
+            parentChildProps.setMaxAllowPerDBPerRelType("")
+            parentChildProps.setMaxAllowPerTablePerRelType("")
+        } else {
+            parentChildProps.setDefaultMaxAllowPerRelType(null)
+            parentChildProps.setMaxAllowPerDBPerRelType(null)
+            parentChildProps.setMaxAllowPerTablePerRelType(null)
+        }
+
+        then: "The properties should be empty"
+        assert parentChildProps.getDefaultMaxAllowPerRelType().isEmpty()
+        assert parentChildProps.getMaxAllowPerDBPerRelType().isEmpty()
+        assert parentChildProps.getMaxAllowPerTablePerRelType().isEmpty()
+
+        where:
+        isEmpty << [true, false]
+    }
 }