diff --git a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/post.js b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/post.js
index 78e37c075431f52afa13f1831a52f441eb63fa7e..abfd90990a00b6eef6bcea5a764b4e3f028d03b3 100644
--- a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/post.js
+++ b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/post.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ const requestRevisionAsHE = require('./strategies/heRequestRevision')
 const requestRevisionAsEiC = require('./strategies/eicRequestRevision')
 
 module.exports = models => async (req, res) => {
-  const { recommendation, comments, recommendationType } = req.body
+  const { recommendation, comments = [], recommendationType } = req.body
   if (!services.checkForUndefinedParams(recommendationType, recommendation))
     return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Recommendation type is required.' })
 
@@ -74,11 +74,11 @@ module.exports = models => async (req, res) => {
   const newRecommendation = {
     userId,
     id: v4(),
+    comments,
     recommendation,
     recommendationType,
     createdOn: Date.now(),
     updatedOn: Date.now(),
-    comments: comments || [],
   }
 
   const notification = new Notification({
diff --git a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/strategies/hePublish.js b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/strategies/hePublish.js
index bbbe74cae92f7fdbb0c82d76906163eca09cf771..238efbc141b40fda46e5c048afb3e9031a8213fb 100644
--- a/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/strategies/hePublish.js
+++ b/packages/component-manuscript-manager/src/routes/fragmentsRecommendations/strategies/hePublish.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ module.exports = {
     newRecommendation,
   }) => {
     const fragments = await collectionHelper.collection.getFragments()
-    // console.log('FRAGs', fragments)
+
     if (!collectionHelper.canHEMakeRecommendation(fragments, fragmentHelper)) {
       throw new Error('Cannot publish without at least one reviewer report.')
     }