diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index 91836b5b..a0206df7 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -22475,7 +22475,7 @@ const getFolder = (file) => { var _a;
 //@ts-ignore
 return ((_a = file === null || file === void 0 ? void 0 : file.parent) === null || _a === void 0 ? void 0 : _a.name) || file.folder; };
 const splitAndTrim = (fields) => {
-    if (fields === "")
+    if (!fields || fields === "")
         return [];
     else
         return fields.split(",").map((str) => str.trim());
diff --git a/src/sharedFunctions.ts b/src/sharedFunctions.ts
index 59281e5e..195f9580 100644
--- a/src/sharedFunctions.ts
+++ b/src/sharedFunctions.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export const getFolder = (file: TFile): string =>
   file?.parent?.name || file.folder;
 
 export const splitAndTrim = (fields: string): string[] => {
-  if (fields === "") return [];
+  if (!fields || fields === "") return [];
   else return fields.split(",").map((str) => str.trim());
 };
 
@@ -323,6 +323,8 @@ export function strToRegex(input: string) {
 export const dropHash = (tag: string) =>
   tag.startsWith("#") ? tag.slice(1) : tag;
 
+export const addHash = (tag: string) => (tag.startsWith("#") ? tag : `#${tag}`);
+
 export function getAlt(node: string, plugin: BCPlugin): string | null {
   const { app } = plugin;
   const { altLinkFields, showAllAliases } = plugin.settings;