diff --git a/crates/driver/src/domain/competition/order/app_data.rs b/crates/driver/src/domain/competition/order/app_data.rs
index c23aefa7be..f57a90f710 100644
--- a/crates/driver/src/domain/competition/order/app_data.rs
+++ b/crates/driver/src/domain/competition/order/app_data.rs
@@ -72,12 +72,15 @@ impl AppDataRetriever {
                         let appdata: AppDataDocument =
                             serde_json::from_str(&response.text().await?)
                                 .context("invalid app data document")?;
-                        (appdata.full_app_data != app_data::EMPTY).then_some(
-                            self_
-                                .0
-                                .app_data_validator
-                                .validate(&appdata.full_app_data.into_bytes())?,
-                        )
+                        match appdata.full_app_data == app_data::EMPTY {
+                            true => None, // empty app data
+                            false => Some(
+                                self_
+                                    .0
+                                    .app_data_validator
+                                    .validate(&appdata.full_app_data.into_bytes())?,
+                            ),
+                        }
                     }
                 };