diff --git a/src/classic/hfp.c b/src/classic/hfp.c
index 2c4f697d7..abb46cf2f 100644
--- a/src/classic/hfp.c
+++ b/src/classic/hfp.c
@@ -1313,8 +1313,17 @@ static bool hfp_parse_byte(hfp_connection_t * hfp_connection, uint8_t byte, int
             if (!hfp_parser_is_separator(byte)) return true;
 
             // ignore empty tokens
-            if (hfp_parser_is_buffer_empty(hfp_connection) && (hfp_connection->ignore_value == 0)) return true;
-
+            switch (hfp_connection->command){
+                case HFP_CMD_AG_ACTIVATE_VOICE_RECOGNITION:
+                    // don't ignore empty string 
+                    break;
+                default:
+                    if (hfp_parser_is_buffer_empty(hfp_connection) && (hfp_connection->ignore_value == 0)) {
+                        return true;
+                    }
+                    break;
+            }
+            
             parse_sequence(hfp_connection);
 
             hfp_parser_reset_line_buffer(hfp_connection);
@@ -1700,7 +1709,6 @@ static void parse_sequence(hfp_connection_t * hfp_connection){
                 case 5:
                     hfp_connection->line_buffer[hfp_connection->line_size] = 0;
                     hfp_connection->ag_vra_msg_length = hfp_connection->line_size + 1;
-                    log_info("VRA message of length %d", hfp_connection->ag_vra_msg_length);
                     break;
                 default:
                     break;
diff --git a/src/classic/hfp_ag.c b/src/classic/hfp_ag.c
index 3b9aa28e7..73e84030c 100644
--- a/src/classic/hfp_ag.c
+++ b/src/classic/hfp_ag.c
@@ -2911,7 +2911,7 @@ uint8_t hfp_ag_enhanced_voice_recognition_send_message(hci_con_handle_t acl_hand
 
     uint16_t message_len = strlen(msg.text);
 
-    if ((message_len == 0) || (message_len > HFP_MAX_VR_TEXT_SIZE)){
+    if (message_len > HFP_MAX_VR_TEXT_SIZE){
         return ERROR_CODE_UNSUPPORTED_FEATURE_OR_PARAMETER_VALUE;
     }