Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/qb/QbUtils.java
===================================================================
diff -u -reebd98dce318486b1b04b5d683404622517af1e8 -rb0a4fbc85e1574ef3efe06a1020b84e2d7c7a75e
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/qb/QbUtils.java	(.../QbUtils.java)	(revision eebd98dce318486b1b04b5d683404622517af1e8)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/qb/QbUtils.java	(.../QbUtils.java)	(revision b0a4fbc85e1574ef3efe06a1020b84e2d7c7a75e)
@@ -90,14 +90,21 @@
     }
 
     public static String normaliseVSAnswer(String answer) {
-	return StringUtils.isBlank(answer) ? null : answer.replaceAll(VSA_ANSWER_NORMALISE_JAVA_REG_EXP, "");
+	if (StringUtils.isBlank(answer)) {
+	    return null;
+	}
+	String normalisedAnswer = answer.replaceAll(VSA_ANSWER_NORMALISE_JAVA_REG_EXP, "");
+	if (StringUtils.isBlank(normalisedAnswer)) {
+	    return null;
+	}
+	return normalisedAnswer;
     }
 
     public static Set<String> normaliseVSOption(String option) {
 	return StringUtils.isBlank(option) ? Set.of()
 		: Stream.of(option.split(VSA_ANSWER_DELIMITER)).filter(StringUtils::isNotBlank)
-			.collect(Collectors.mapping(answer -> QbUtils.normaliseVSAnswer(answer),
-				Collectors.toCollection(LinkedHashSet::new)));
+			.map(answer -> QbUtils.normaliseVSAnswer(answer)).filter(StringUtils::isNotBlank)
+			.collect(Collectors.toCollection(LinkedHashSet::new));
     }
 
     public static boolean isVSAnswerAllocated(String option, String normalisedAnswer, boolean isCaseSensitive) {
@@ -115,11 +122,11 @@
      *            is an accumulator for unallocated answers so they do not appear in VSA allocation UI twice
      */
     public static boolean isVSAnswerAllocated(QbQuestion qbQuestion, String answer, Set<String> notAllocatedAnswers) {
-	if (StringUtils.isBlank(answer)) {
+	String normalisedAnswer = QbUtils.normaliseVSAnswer(answer);
+	if (StringUtils.isBlank(normalisedAnswer)) {
 	    return false;
 	}
 
-	String normalisedAnswer = QbUtils.normaliseVSAnswer(answer);
 	boolean isQuestionCaseSensitive = qbQuestion.isCaseSensitive();
 	boolean isAnswerAllocated = false;
 
Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/qb/service/QbService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -ra75227caf7b39b015d53b73a473bc23738a04bdd -rb0a4fbc85e1574ef3efe06a1020b84e2d7c7a75e
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/qb/service/QbService.java	(.../QbService.java)	(revision a75227caf7b39b015d53b73a473bc23738a04bdd)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/qb/service/QbService.java	(.../QbService.java)	(revision b0a4fbc85e1574ef3efe06a1020b84e2d7c7a75e)
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@
     public Long allocateVSAnswerToOption(Long toolQuestionUid, Long targetOptionUid, Long previousOptionUid,
 	    String answer) {
 	String normalisedAnswer = QbUtils.normaliseVSAnswer(answer);
-	if (normalisedAnswer == null) {
+	if (normalisedAnswer == null && previousOptionUid.equals(-1L)) {
 	    return null;
 	}
 	answer = answer.strip();
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@
 	    Set<String> nameWithoutUserAnswer = new LinkedHashSet<>(List.of(alternatives));
 	    nameWithoutUserAnswer.remove(answer);
 	    name = nameWithoutUserAnswer.isEmpty() ? ""
-		    : nameWithoutUserAnswer.stream().filter(StringUtils::isNotBlank)
+		    : nameWithoutUserAnswer.stream().filter(a -> QbUtils.normaliseVSAnswer(a) != null)
 			    .collect(Collectors.joining(QbUtils.VSA_ANSWER_DELIMITER));
 	    previousOption.setName(name);
 	    qbDAO.update(previousOption);
Index: lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/service/AssessmentServiceImpl.java
===================================================================
diff -u -re86ecac93af30898767242820d67e55fa14c9600 -rb0a4fbc85e1574ef3efe06a1020b84e2d7c7a75e
--- lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/service/AssessmentServiceImpl.java	(.../AssessmentServiceImpl.java)	(revision e86ecac93af30898767242820d67e55fa14c9600)
+++ lams_tool_assessment/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/assessment/service/AssessmentServiceImpl.java	(.../AssessmentServiceImpl.java)	(revision b0a4fbc85e1574ef3efe06a1020b84e2d7c7a75e)
@@ -1437,7 +1437,7 @@
 
 	    for (AssessmentQuestionResult questionResult : allQuestionResults) {
 		String answer = questionResult.getAnswer();
-		if (StringUtils.isBlank(answer)) {
+		if (QbUtils.normaliseVSAnswer(answer) == null) {
 		    continue;
 		}
 
Index: lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/service/ScratchieServiceImpl.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rf6247c953cc7bf9a17d4025ea8e8728ae55c11ed -rb0a4fbc85e1574ef3efe06a1020b84e2d7c7a75e
--- lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/service/ScratchieServiceImpl.java	(.../ScratchieServiceImpl.java)	(revision f6247c953cc7bf9a17d4025ea8e8728ae55c11ed)
+++ lams_tool_scratchie/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/scratchie/service/ScratchieServiceImpl.java	(.../ScratchieServiceImpl.java)	(revision b0a4fbc85e1574ef3efe06a1020b84e2d7c7a75e)
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@
 		List<ScratchieAnswerVisitLog> visitLogs = scratchieAnswerVisitDao.getVsaLogsByItem(item.getUid());
 		for (ScratchieAnswerVisitLog visitLog : visitLogs) {
 		    String answer = visitLog.getAnswer();
-		    if (StringUtils.isBlank(answer)) {
+		    if (QbUtils.normaliseVSAnswer(answer) == null) {
 			continue;
 		    }