diff --git a/beef b/beef
index 8d634972f..7bc2be6b4 100755
--- a/beef
+++ b/beef
@@ -191,12 +191,12 @@ end
 #
 # @note Validate beef.http.public and beef.http.public_port
 #
-unless BeEF::Filters.is_valid_hostname? config.get('beef.http.public')
+unless config.get('beef.http.public').to_s.eql?('') || BeEF::Filters.is_valid_hostname?(config.get('beef.http.public'))
   print_error "ERROR: Invalid public hostname: #{config.get('beef.http.public')}"
   exit 1
 end
                                                                                                                 
-unless BeEF::Filters.is_valid_port? config.get('beef.http.public_port')
+unless config.get('beef.http.public_port').to_s.eql?('') || BeEF::Filters.is_valid_port?(config.get('beef.http.public_port'))
   print_error "ERROR: Invalid public port: #{config.get('beef.http.public_port')}"
   exit 1
 end