diff --git a/deep_sequencing_unit/source/java/ch/ethz/bsse/cisd/dsu/dss/FlowLaneFeeder.java b/deep_sequencing_unit/source/java/ch/ethz/bsse/cisd/dsu/dss/FlowLaneFeeder.java
index 305b39d556137c7918cc590afa1a3718ab47f66b..d81688545a8936f58fa37b93973ca8ceef5d5972 100644
--- a/deep_sequencing_unit/source/java/ch/ethz/bsse/cisd/dsu/dss/FlowLaneFeeder.java
+++ b/deep_sequencing_unit/source/java/ch/ethz/bsse/cisd/dsu/dss/FlowLaneFeeder.java
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ class FlowLaneFeeder extends AbstractPostRegistrationDataSetHandlerForFileBasedU
                 SampleIdentifierFactory.parse(sample.getIdentifier());
         final String containerIdentifierOrNull =
                 (sample.getContainer() != null) ? sample.getContainer().getIdentifier() : null;
-        final String[] modifiedParentCodesOrNull = new String[0];
+        final String[] modifiedParentCodesOrNull = null;
         return new SampleUpdatesDTO(sampleId, properties, experimentIdentifierOrNull, attachments,
                 version, sampleIdentifier, containerIdentifierOrNull, modifiedParentCodesOrNull);
     }