diff --git a/pipeline/transformer/transformer_marc_common/src/main/scala/weco/pipeline/transformer/marc_common/transformers/subjects/MarcSubject.scala b/pipeline/transformer/transformer_marc_common/src/main/scala/weco/pipeline/transformer/marc_common/transformers/subjects/MarcSubject.scala
index 011d2fbafd..5758eafb52 100644
--- a/pipeline/transformer/transformer_marc_common/src/main/scala/weco/pipeline/transformer/marc_common/transformers/subjects/MarcSubject.scala
+++ b/pipeline/transformer/transformer_marc_common/src/main/scala/weco/pipeline/transformer/marc_common/transformers/subjects/MarcSubject.scala
@@ -28,12 +28,13 @@ trait MarcSubject extends MarcFieldTransformer with MarcHasRecordControlNumber {
   ): Output = getSubjectConcepts(field) match {
     case Success(Nil) => None
     case Success(entities) =>
-      Some(
-        Subject(
-          label = getLabel(field).get,
-          concepts = entities.toList,
-          id = getIdState(field)
-        )
+      getLabel(field).map(
+        label =>
+          Subject(
+            label = label,
+            concepts = entities.toList,
+            id = getIdState(field)
+          )
       )
     case Failure(exception) =>
       None
diff --git a/pipeline/transformer/transformer_marc_common/src/test/scala/weco/pipeline/transformer/marc_common/transformers/MarcSubjectsTest.scala b/pipeline/transformer/transformer_marc_common/src/test/scala/weco/pipeline/transformer/marc_common/transformers/MarcSubjectsTest.scala
index d41b685f4a..adfa7d0dd7 100644
--- a/pipeline/transformer/transformer_marc_common/src/test/scala/weco/pipeline/transformer/marc_common/transformers/MarcSubjectsTest.scala
+++ b/pipeline/transformer/transformer_marc_common/src/test/scala/weco/pipeline/transformer/marc_common/transformers/MarcSubjectsTest.scala
@@ -38,17 +38,28 @@ class MarcSubjectsTest
       MarcSubjects(
         MarcTestRecord(fields =
           Seq(
+            // with no subfields
             MarcField(
               marcTag = "610",
               subfields = Nil
             ),
+            // with blank or blank-like subfields
             MarcField(
-              marcTag = "600",
+              marcTag = "650",
+              indicator2 = "0",
               subfields = Seq(
                 MarcSubfield(tag = "a", content = "   "),
                 MarcSubfield(tag = "b", content = ""),
                 MarcSubfield(tag = "c", content = "  ")
               )
+            ),
+            // with a dodgy second indicator
+            MarcField(
+              marcTag = "650",
+              indicator2 = "x",
+              subfields = Seq(
+                MarcSubfield(tag = "a", content = "Hello, World!")
+              )
             )
           )
         )