diff --git a/kobo/apps/subsequences/jsonschemas/qual_schema.py b/kobo/apps/subsequences/jsonschemas/qual_schema.py
index 36a8cb72b6..8211b06e38 100644
--- a/kobo/apps/subsequences/jsonschemas/qual_schema.py
+++ b/kobo/apps/subsequences/jsonschemas/qual_schema.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def refdefpath(ss):
     'type': 'object',
     'properties': {
         'type': {'const': 'qual_select_one'},
-        'val': {'type': 'string'},
+        'val': {'type': 'string', 'minLength': 1},
     },
 }
 DEFINITIONS['qual_select_multiple'] = {
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def refdefpath(ss):
         'type': {'const': 'qual_select_multiple'},
         'val': {
             'type': 'array',
-            'items': {'type': 'string'},
+            'items': {'type': 'string', 'minLength': 1},
         },
     },
 }
diff --git a/kobo/apps/subsequences/tests/test_submission_stream.py b/kobo/apps/subsequences/tests/test_submission_stream.py
index 4542d603e1..13506f5871 100644
--- a/kobo/apps/subsequences/tests/test_submission_stream.py
+++ b/kobo/apps/subsequences/tests/test_submission_stream.py
@@ -285,3 +285,39 @@ def test_stream_with_extras_handles_duplicated_submission_uuids(self):
 
         # Clear all mocked submissions to avoid duplicate submission errors
         self.asset.deployment.mock_submissions([])
+
+    def test_stream_with_extras_ignores_empty_qual_responses(self):
+        # Modify submission extras 'val' to be an empty string
+        submission_extras = SubmissionExtras.objects.get(
+            submission_uuid='1c05898e-b43c-491d-814c-79595eb84e81'
+        )
+        content = submission_extras.content
+        content['Tell_me_a_story']['qual'][1]['val'] = ''
+        submission_extras.content = content
+        submission_extras.save()
+
+        # Process submissions with extras
+        output = list(
+            stream_with_extras(
+                self.asset.deployment.get_submissions(user=self.asset.owner),
+                self.asset,
+            )
+        )
+
+        # Ensure that the empty 'val' fields are skipped and not processed
+        for submission in output:
+            supplemental_details = submission.get('_supplementalDetails', {})
+            for key, details in supplemental_details.items():
+                qual_responses = details.get('qual', [])
+                for qual_response in qual_responses:
+                    if qual_response['type'] in [
+                        'qual_select_one',
+                        'qual_select_multiple',
+                    ]:
+                        val = qual_response['val']
+
+                        if isinstance(val, list):
+                            for v in val:
+                                self.assertEqual(v, '')
+                        else:
+                            self.assertEqual(val, '')
diff --git a/kobo/apps/subsequences/utils/__init__.py b/kobo/apps/subsequences/utils/__init__.py
index bddf773004..9d1f35594e 100644
--- a/kobo/apps/subsequences/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/kobo/apps/subsequences/utils/__init__.py
@@ -176,6 +176,8 @@ def stream_with_extras(submission_stream, asset):
                         val = [val]
                     val_expanded = []
                     for v in val:
+                        if v == '':
+                            continue
                         try:
                             v_ex = qual_choices_per_question_by_uuid[
                                 qual_q['uuid']
@@ -186,7 +188,7 @@ def stream_with_extras(submission_stream, asset):
                             # added. They should simply be hidden
                             v_ex = {'uuid': v, 'error': 'unknown choice'}
                         val_expanded.append(v_ex)
-                    if single_choice:
+                    if single_choice and val_expanded:
                         val_expanded = val_expanded[0]
                     qual_response['val'] = val_expanded
                 qual_response.update(qual_q)