diff --git a/journals/views.py b/journals/views.py
index 7a2d64a50ea0a85335ea7a5cc66203b0b834f955..5e227706e5f0b911d484cf93884195e4b166f617 100644
--- a/journals/views.py
+++ b/journals/views.py
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ def generic_metadata_xml_deposit(request, **kwargs):
 
     relation_to_published = _object.relation_to_published
 
-    if _object.doi_label == '':
+    if not _object.doi_label:
         _object.create_doi_label()
 
     # create a doi_batch_id