diff --git a/ENI2/App.config b/ENI2/App.config
index 79935b33..6105b6f2 100644
--- a/ENI2/App.config
+++ b/ENI2/App.config
@@ -26,12 +26,10 @@
                 <value>1000</value>
             </setting>
             <setting name="LockingServerAddress" serializeAs="String">
-                <value>http://heupferd/bsmd.LockingService/LockingService.svc</value>
-				<!--value>http://192.168.2.24/LockingService/LockingService.svc</value-->				
+				<value>http://192.168.2.24/LockingService/LockingService.svc</value>				
             </setting>
             <setting name="ConnectionString" serializeAs="String">
-				<!--value>Initial Catalog=nswtest;Data Source=192.168.2.24\SQLEXPRESS;Uid=dfuser;pwd=dfpasswd;Persist Security Info=False;Connection Reset=false</value-->				
-                <value>Data Source=(localdb)\MSSQLLocalDB;Initial Catalog=E:\DATA\DB\NSW.MDF;Integrated Security=True;Connect Timeout=30;Encrypt=False;TrustServerCertificate=False;ApplicationIntent=ReadWrite;MultiSubnetFailover=False</value>
+				<value>Initial Catalog=nswtest;Data Source=192.168.2.24\SQLEXPRESS;Uid=dfuser;pwd=dfpasswd;Persist Security Info=False;Connection Reset=false</value>				
             </setting>
         </ENI2.Properties.Settings>
     </applicationSettings>
diff --git a/ENI2/ENI2.csproj b/ENI2/ENI2.csproj
index 8b394b3f..29939f64 100644
--- a/ENI2/ENI2.csproj
+++ b/ENI2/ENI2.csproj
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     <CreateWebPageOnPublish>true</CreateWebPageOnPublish>
     <WebPage>publish.html</WebPage>
     <ApplicationRevision>0</ApplicationRevision>
-    <ApplicationVersion>6.9.16.0</ApplicationVersion>
+    <ApplicationVersion>6.9.17.0</ApplicationVersion>
     <UseApplicationTrust>false</UseApplicationTrust>
     <CreateDesktopShortcut>true</CreateDesktopShortcut>
     <PublishWizardCompleted>true</PublishWizardCompleted>
diff --git a/ENI2/Excel/ExcelReader.cs b/ENI2/Excel/ExcelReader.cs
index c146555c..ed3aae2b 100644
--- a/ENI2/Excel/ExcelReader.cs
+++ b/ENI2/Excel/ExcelReader.cs
@@ -203,21 +203,25 @@ namespace ENI2.Excel
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// read nationality field an returns 2 Char ISO code (optional lookup) and "confirms"
-        /// the field
+        /// read nationality field, validation only via log (so none, really..)
         /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>uppercase 2 character flag code if valid, empty string otherwise</returns>
         internal string ReadNationality(string lookup)
         {
-            string val = this.ReadText(lookup);
+            string val = this.ReadText(lookup).Trim().ToUpper();
 
             if ((val != null) && (val.Length == 2))
             {
                 string isoCode = LocodeDB.CountryCodeFromName(val);
                 if (isoCode == null)
+                {
                     _log.ErrorFormat("Wrong ISO code {0}", val);
+                    val = "";
+                }
             } 
             else
             {
+                val = "";
                 _log.ErrorFormat("cannot read nationality {0}", lookup);
             }