diff --git a/Model/Config.php b/Model/Config.php
index f046534d..93e170e8 100644
--- a/Model/Config.php
+++ b/Model/Config.php
@@ -390,9 +390,16 @@ public function getFilterWhitelist(Store $store = null)
      * @param Store|null $store
      * @return array
      */
-    public function getFilterValuesWhitelist(Store $store = null)
+    public function getFilterValuesWhitelist(Store $store = null): array
     {
         $filterList = $this->getStoreConfig('tweakwise/seo/filter_values_whitelist', $store);
+
+        if (empty($filterList)) {
+            return [];
+        }
+
+        $filterList = trim($filterList);
+
         $filterListExploded = explode(',', $filterList) ?: [];
         if (empty($filterListExploded)) {
             return [];
@@ -400,7 +407,7 @@ public function getFilterValuesWhitelist(Store $store = null)
 
         $return = [];
         foreach ($filterListExploded as $listItem) {
-            $item = explode('=', $listItem) ?: null;
+            $item = explode('=', trim($listItem)) ?: null;
             if ($item === null) {
                 continue;
             }
diff --git a/Model/Seo/FilterHelper.php b/Model/Seo/FilterHelper.php
index 42e07253..c1d2a678 100644
--- a/Model/Seo/FilterHelper.php
+++ b/Model/Seo/FilterHelper.php
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ protected function getAttributeCodeFromFilterItem(Item $item)
      * @param Item $item
      * @return string|null
      */
-    protected function getAttributeValueFromFilterItem(Item $item)
+    protected function getAttributeValueFromFilterItem(Item $item): ?string
     {
         return $item->getAttribute()->getTitle();
     }
@@ -174,13 +174,11 @@ protected function isFilterValueItemInWhiteList(Item $item): bool
             return false;
         }
 
-        $isIn = \in_array(
+        return \in_array(
             strtolower($attributeValue),
             array_map('strtolower', $filterValuesWhiteList[$attributeCode]),
             true
         );
-
-        return $isIn;
     }
 
     /**