diff --git a/app/Item.php b/app/Item.php
index e5d243dfc..884f50aff 100644
--- a/app/Item.php
+++ b/app/Item.php
@@ -396,12 +396,12 @@ public function getAuthorsWithAuthoritiesAttribute()
         return $authorities->concat($authors);
     }
 
-
     public function getUniqueAuthorsWithAuthorityNames()
     {
         return $this->authors_with_authorities
             ->pluck('name')
-            ->toArray();
+            ->filter()
+            ->values();
     }
 
     public function getFirstAuthorAttribute($value)
diff --git a/tests/Models/ItemTest.php b/tests/Models/ItemTest.php
index 9be998bc2..a66e4552e 100644
--- a/tests/Models/ItemTest.php
+++ b/tests/Models/ItemTest.php
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ public function testMergedAuthorityNamesAndAuthors()
         ]);
 
         $item = Item::factory()->make([
-            'author' => 'Philips Wouwerman; Vladimír Boudník',
+            'author' => 'Philips Wouwerman; ; Vladimír Boudník',
         ]);
         $item->authorities()->attach($authority);