diff --git a/src/qz/communication/SocketIO.java b/src/qz/communication/SocketIO.java
index 8a86e517f..87640b127 100644
--- a/src/qz/communication/SocketIO.java
+++ b/src/qz/communication/SocketIO.java
@@ -62,8 +62,10 @@ public String processSocketResponse() throws IOException {
             }
         }
         while(dataIn.available() > 0);
-
-        return new String(ArrayUtils.toPrimitive(fullResponse.toArray(new Byte[0])), encoding);
+        if(fullResponse.size() > 0) {
+            return new String(ArrayUtils.toPrimitive(fullResponse.toArray(new Byte[0])), encoding);
+        }
+        return null;
     }
 
     public void close() throws IOException {
diff --git a/src/qz/utils/SocketUtilities.java b/src/qz/utils/SocketUtilities.java
index 0be3563e6..505266144 100644
--- a/src/qz/utils/SocketUtilities.java
+++ b/src/qz/utils/SocketUtilities.java
@@ -30,9 +30,12 @@ public static void setupSocket(final Session session, String UID, SocketConnecti
 
         //TODO - move to dedicated options class?
         Charset encoding = StandardCharsets.UTF_8;
-        if (!params.isNull("encoding")) {
-            try { encoding = Charset.forName(params.getString("encoding")); }
-            catch(JSONException e) { LoggerUtilities.optionWarn(log, "string", "encoding", params.opt("encoding")); }
+        if (!params.isNull("options")) {
+            JSONObject options = params.getJSONObject("options");
+
+            if (!options.isNull("encoding")) {
+                encoding = Charset.forName(options.getString("encoding"));
+            }
         }
 
         try {