diff --git a/dspace-xmlui/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/xmlui/cocoon/BitstreamReader.java b/dspace-xmlui/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/xmlui/cocoon/BitstreamReader.java
index 897c4d246009..b276299ca751 100644
--- a/dspace-xmlui/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/xmlui/cocoon/BitstreamReader.java
+++ b/dspace-xmlui/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/xmlui/cocoon/BitstreamReader.java
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ else if(dso!=null){
                         return;
                 }
                 else{
-                	if(ConfigurationManager.getProperty("request.item.type")==null||
+                	if(StringUtils.isBlank(ConfigurationManager.getProperty("request.item.type")) ||
                 			                			ConfigurationManager.getProperty("request.item.type").equalsIgnoreCase("logged")){
                         // The user does not have read access to this bitstream. Interrupt this current request
                         // and then forward them to the login page so that they can be authenticated. Once that is