diff --git a/app/models/doi.rb b/app/models/doi.rb
index 7cb312d3f..362ca9d11 100644
--- a/app/models/doi.rb
+++ b/app/models/doi.rb
@@ -1905,9 +1905,9 @@ def set_defaults
   end
 
   def update_agency
-    if agency.to_s.casecmp?("datacite") || agency.blank?
+    if agency.blank? || agency.casecmp?("datacite") 
       self.agency = "datacite"
-    elsif agency.to_s.casecmp? ("crossref")
+    elsif agency.casecmp? ("crossref")
       self.agency = "crossref"
     end
   end