diff --git a/core/item.py b/core/item.py
index 4614ad58..ec8716d8 100644
--- a/core/item.py
+++ b/core/item.py
@@ -364,15 +364,14 @@ class Item(object):
         if "?" in url:
             url = url.split("?")[1]
         decoded = False
-        if url:
-            try:
-                str_item = base64.b64decode(urllib.unquote(url))
-                json_item = json.load(str_item, object_hook=self.toutf8)
-                if json_item is not None and len(json_item) > 0:
-                    self.__dict__.update(json_item)
-                    decoded = True
-            except:
-                pass
+        try:
+            str_item = base64.b64decode(urllib.unquote(url))
+            json_item = json.load(str_item, object_hook=self.toutf8)
+            if json_item is not None and len(json_item) > 0:
+                self.__dict__.update(json_item)
+                decoded = True
+        except:
+            pass
 
         if not decoded:
             url = urllib.unquote_plus(url)
diff --git a/platformcode/platformtools.py b/platformcode/platformtools.py
index 2a406fc0..a9cf6236 100644
--- a/platformcode/platformtools.py
+++ b/platformcode/platformtools.py
@@ -395,7 +395,6 @@ def viewmodeMonitor():
             currentModeName = xbmc.getInfoLabel('Container.Viewmode')
             parent_info = xbmc.getInfoLabel('Container.FolderPath')
             item_info = xbmc.getInfoLabel('Container.ListItemPosition(2).FileNameAndPath')
-            parent_item = Item().fromurl(parent_info)
             win = xbmcgui.Window(10025)
             currentMode = int(win.getFocusId())
             # logger.debug('CM', currentMode, 'CN',currentModeName, 'label',xbmc.getInfoLabel('Container.FolderPath'))