diff --git a/packages/component-faraday-selectors/src/index.js b/packages/component-faraday-selectors/src/index.js
index db6ee1a0981b71a520e57c8f2b7c9437cc4873d9..65af2dd10ea67925098d318bc9f5d7ff13223d28 100644
--- a/packages/component-faraday-selectors/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/component-faraday-selectors/src/index.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { get, last } from 'lodash'
 
 export const isHEToManuscript = (state, collectionId) => {
   const currentUserId = get(state, 'currentUser.user.id')
-  const collections = get(state, 'collections') || []
+  const collections = get(state, 'collections', [])
   const collection = collections.find(c => c.id === collectionId) || {}
   return get(collection, 'handlingEditor.id') === currentUserId
 }
@@ -44,8 +44,11 @@ export const canInviteReviewers = ({ currentUser: { user } }, project) => {
 export const getUserToken = ({ currentUser }) => get(currentUser, 'user.token')
 
 export const getHERecommendation = (state, collectionId, fragmentId) => {
-  const recommendations =
-    get(state, `fragments.${fragmentId}.recommendations`) || []
+  const recommendations = get(
+    state,
+    `fragments.${fragmentId}.recommendations`,
+    [],
+  )
   const collection = get(state, 'collections').find(c => c.id === collectionId)
   const heId = get(collection, `handlingEditor.id`)
 
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@ export const canMakeRevision = (state, collection, fragment) => {
 }
 
 export const currentUserIsAuthor = (state, id) => {
-  const permissions = getUserPermissions(state) || []
+  const permissions = getUserPermissions(state)
 
   return permissions
     .filter(f => f.role === 'author')
@@ -93,7 +96,7 @@ export const currentUserIsAuthor = (state, id) => {
 }
 
 export const getUserPermissions = ({ currentUser }) =>
-  get(currentUser, 'user.teams').map(t => ({
+  get(currentUser, 'user.teams', []).map(t => ({
     objectId: t.object.id,
     objectType: t.object.type,
     role: t.teamType.permissions,
diff --git a/packages/component-helper-service/src/services/Email.js b/packages/component-helper-service/src/services/Email.js
index e201739d7c36de4f50dd5f12903efb2679338ed1..2da243dfc02e037cf19e896b9e3e1d7e76aa2799 100644
--- a/packages/component-helper-service/src/services/Email.js
+++ b/packages/component-helper-service/src/services/Email.js
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ class Email {
 
     reviewers.forEach(user =>
       mailService.sendNotificationEmail({
+        user,
         emailType,
         toEmail: user.email,
         meta: {
@@ -151,7 +152,7 @@ class Email {
       parsedFragment: { heRecommendation, id, title, newComments },
       authors: { submittingAuthor: { email, firstName, lastName } },
     } = this
-    let comments = get(heRecommendation, 'comments') || []
+    let comments = get(heRecommendation, 'comments', [])
     if (requestToRevision) comments = newComments
     const authorNote = comments.find(comm => comm.public)
     const content = get(authorNote, 'content')
@@ -213,14 +214,15 @@ class Email {
     } = this
     const userHelper = new User({ UserModel })
     const eic = await userHelper.getEditorInChief()
-    const toEmail = get(collection, 'handlingEditor.email')
+    const user = get(collection, 'handlingEditor', {})
     let emailType = publish
       ? 'he-manuscript-published'
       : 'he-manuscript-rejected'
     if (reviewSubmitted) emailType = 'review-submitted'
     if (returnWithComments) emailType = 'he-manuscript-return-with-comments'
     mailService.sendNotificationEmail({
-      toEmail,
+      user,
+      toEmail: user.email,
       emailType,
       meta: {
         baseUrl,
@@ -229,7 +231,7 @@ class Email {
         eicComments,
         eicName: `${eic.firstName} ${eic.lastName}`,
         emailSubject: `${collection.customId}: Manuscript Decision`,
-        handlingEditorName: get(collection, 'handlingEditor.name') || '',
+        handlingEditorName: user.name || '',
         fragment: {
           id,
           title,
@@ -280,6 +282,7 @@ class Email {
     const toEmail = eic.email
     mailService.sendNotificationEmail({
       toEmail,
+      user: eic,
       emailType: 'eic-recommendation',
       meta: {
         baseUrl,
@@ -402,6 +405,7 @@ class Email {
     const eic = await userHelper.getEditorInChief()
 
     mailService.sendSimpleEmail({
+      user: eic,
       toEmail: eic.email,
       emailType: 'manuscript-submitted',
       dashboardUrl: baseUrl,
@@ -424,16 +428,18 @@ class Email {
 
     const userHelper = new User({ UserModel })
     const eic = await userHelper.getEditorInChief()
+    const user = get(collection, 'handlingEditor', {})
 
     mailService.sendNotificationEmail({
-      toEmail: collection.handlingEditor.email,
+      user,
       emailType: 'new-version-submitted',
+      toEmail: user.email,
       meta: {
         baseUrl,
         collection,
         eicName: `${eic.firstName} ${eic.lastName}`,
         fragment: { id, authorName: `${firstName} ${lastName}`, title },
-        handlingEditorName: collection.handlingEditor.name,
+        handlingEditorName: user.name || '',
       },
     })
   }
diff --git a/packages/component-manuscript/src/components/SubmitRevision.js b/packages/component-manuscript/src/components/SubmitRevision.js
index 057f2a36d5a86563f779bd11c03d6c062f1b5809..531146be4fc70c26a3bdd54cc2df160f55865d67 100644
--- a/packages/component-manuscript/src/components/SubmitRevision.js
+++ b/packages/component-manuscript/src/components/SubmitRevision.js
@@ -206,14 +206,14 @@ export default compose(
   withProps(({ version, formValues }) => ({
     initialValues: {
       metadata: {
-        title: get(version, 'revision.metadata.title') || '',
-        abstract: get(version, 'revision.metadata.abstract') || '',
+        title: get(version, 'revision.metadata.title', ''),
+        abstract: get(version, 'revision.metadata.abstract', ''),
       },
       authors: get(version, 'revision.authors'),
-      files: get(version, 'revision.files') || [],
+      files: get(version, 'revision.files', []),
       commentsToReviewers: get(version, 'revision.commentsToReviewers'),
     },
-    responseFiles: get(formValues, 'files.responseToReviewers') || [],
+    responseFiles: get(formValues, 'files.responseToReviewers', []),
   })),
   reduxForm({
     form: 'revision',
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/AuthorList/AuthorList.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/AuthorList/AuthorList.js
index 81579608a6a4e223d15bb75b8554cb5153ab4605..2f070954fa61f20447342bda80ddb312f1bd7870 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/AuthorList/AuthorList.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/AuthorList/AuthorList.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export default compose(
   ),
   withState('authors', 'setAuthors', []),
   withProps(({ version, authorPath = 'authors', authorForm }) => ({
-    authors: get(version, authorPath) || [],
+    authors: get(version, authorPath, []),
     addMode: isBoolean(authorForm) && authorForm,
     editMode: isNumber(authorForm) ? authorForm : -1,
   })),
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Dashboard/AssignHEModal.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Dashboard/AssignHEModal.js
index 31422da54264f232d1cf04b0f3f4ecb5034c5f80..39cc7453521fe209467d69801a8e161d3dc962ce 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Dashboard/AssignHEModal.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Dashboard/AssignHEModal.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class AssignHEModal extends React.Component {
       },
       e => {
         setModalError(
-          get(JSON.parse(e.response), 'error') || 'Oops! Something went wrong!',
+          get(JSON.parse(e.response), 'error', 'Oops! Something went wrong!'),
         )
       },
     )
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Dashboard/HandlingEditorSection.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Dashboard/HandlingEditorSection.js
index a77e2e32f7d1d83971d4b8268dc5323aefd27161..3061caffa81fe796109945b167d38172cfd34c61 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Dashboard/HandlingEditorSection.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Dashboard/HandlingEditorSection.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import styled, { css } from 'styled-components'
 import { EditorInChiefActions, HandlingEditorActions } from './'
 
 const renderHE = (currentUser, isHE, project) => {
-  const status = get(project, 'status') || 'draft'
+  const status = get(project, 'status', 'draft')
   const isAdmin = get(currentUser, 'admin')
   const isEic = get(currentUser, 'editorInChief')
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const renderHE = (currentUser, isHE, project) => {
     )
   }
 
-  return <AssignedHE>{get(handlingEditor, 'name') || 'N/A'}</AssignedHE>
+  return <AssignedHE>{get(handlingEditor, 'name', 'N/A')}</AssignedHE>
 }
 
 const HandlingEditorSection = ({ isHE, currentUser, project }) => (
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Files/Files.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Files/Files.js
index aa5035fe22c718dd16d80cb7f0e36b4d2e7e78eb..a5052962f7118f315a61be6204f3c850d7e3e1f5 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Files/Files.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Files/Files.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ const Files = ({
       allowedFileExtensions={['pdf', 'doc', 'docx']}
       changeList={changeList}
       dropSortableFile={dropSortableFile}
-      files={get(files, 'manuscripts') || []}
+      files={get(files, 'manuscripts', [])}
       isFirst
       listId="manuscripts"
       maxFiles={Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY}
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ const Files = ({
       addFile={addFile('supplementary')}
       changeList={changeList}
       dropSortableFile={dropSortableFile}
-      files={get(files, 'supplementary') || []}
+      files={get(files, 'supplementary', [])}
       listId="supplementary"
       maxFiles={Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY}
       moveItem={moveItem('supplementary')}
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ const Files = ({
       allowedFileExtensions={['pdf', 'doc', 'docx']}
       changeList={changeList}
       dropSortableFile={dropSortableFile}
-      files={get(files, 'coverLetter') || []}
+      files={get(files, 'coverLetter', [])}
       isLast={!isRevisionFlow}
       listId="coverLetter"
       maxFiles={1}
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ const Files = ({
         allowedFileExtensions={['pdf', 'doc', 'docx']}
         changeList={changeList}
         dropSortableFile={dropSortableFile}
-        files={get(files, 'responseToReviewers') || []}
+        files={get(files, 'responseToReviewers', [])}
         isLast={isRevisionFlow}
         listId="responseToReviewer"
         maxFiles={1}
@@ -122,11 +122,14 @@ export default compose(
     componentDidMount() {
       const { version, setFiles, filePath = 'files' } = this.props
       setFiles(prev => ({
-        manuscripts: get(version, `${filePath}.manuscripts`) || [],
-        coverLetter: get(version, `${filePath}.coverLetter`) || [],
-        supplementary: get(version, `${filePath}.supplementary`) || [],
-        responseToReviewers:
-          get(version, `${filePath}.responseToReviewers`) || [],
+        manuscripts: get(version, `${filePath}.manuscripts`, []),
+        coverLetter: get(version, `${filePath}.coverLetter`, []),
+        supplementary: get(version, `${filePath}.supplementary`, []),
+        responseToReviewers: get(
+          version,
+          `${filePath}.responseToReviewers`,
+          [],
+        ),
       }))
     },
     componentWillReceiveProps(nextProps) {
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Filters/utils.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Filters/utils.js
index 8dabf8b2f1c77b530bf761937f6a1b8fb96329a8..a6e4275b1a612ccadcb76329281a2027396bc5a8 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Filters/utils.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Filters/utils.js
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ export const parsePermission = permission => ({
 })
 
 export const getCollectionImportance = (statuses, item) =>
-  get(statuses, `${get(item, 'status') || 'draft'}.importance`)
+  get(statuses, `${get(item, 'status', 'draft')}.importance`)
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Filters/withFilters.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Filters/withFilters.js
index d7a089f935293cb6345cfec1f1ccccca19e602fc..9304c8ead4325651aaafe4a001f94bdcf2d7c1ba 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Filters/withFilters.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Filters/withFilters.js
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ export default config => Component => {
       utils.hydrateFilters(filterValues),
     ),
     withHandlers({
-      getFilterOptions: () => key => get(config, `${key}.options`) || [],
+      getFilterOptions: () => key => get(config, `${key}.options`, []),
       getDefaultFilterValue: ({ filterValues }) => key =>
-        get(filterValues, key) || '',
+        get(filterValues, key, ''),
       changeFilterValue: ({ setFilterValues }) => filterKey => value => {
         // ugly but recompose doesn't pass the new state in the callback function
         let newState = {}
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Reviewers/ReviewerForm.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Reviewers/ReviewerForm.js
index 0c24f66472c8abf9fb6e049472776bb3966699e9..c2c0e6b3b3ade9cfd52211a740a2eb13b6835262 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Reviewers/ReviewerForm.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/Reviewers/ReviewerForm.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ const ReviewerForm = ({
 export default compose(
   connect(
     state => ({
-      users: get(state, 'users.users') || [],
+      users: get(state, 'users.users', []),
     }),
     { changeForm, initialize, inviteReviewer },
   ),
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/SignUp/utils.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/SignUp/utils.js
index c55e75faa4f33a292a68d855432b19b65d602598..cc4866b2cdc62c1e942682699e442cd8200c5ae1 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/SignUp/utils.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/SignUp/utils.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export const signUpUser = history => (values, dispatch) =>
 export const resetUserPassword = history => ({ email }, dispatch) =>
   create(`/users/forgot-password`, { email })
     .then(r => {
-      const message = get(r, 'message') || 'Password reset email has been sent.'
+      const message = get(r, 'message', 'Password reset email has been sent.')
       history.push('/info-page', {
         title: 'Reset Password',
         content: message,
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/utils.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/utils.js
index b09e279905facba7e1d5b9bf7db2521395be22f0..067fdf73390ef91c67841e5d97e3c547192e5497 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/components/utils.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/components/utils.js
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ export const mapStatusToLabel = ({ visibleStatus, status }) => {
 }
 
 export const handleError = fn => e => {
-  fn(get(JSON.parse(e.response), 'error') || 'Oops! Something went wrong!')
+  fn(get(JSON.parse(e.response), 'error', 'Oops! Something went wrong!'))
 }
 
 export const handleFormError = error => {
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/authors.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/authors.js
index 324cc26adabc74a3ecc2c4d38111903757c27ab3..d7012b20121648bacfdf32c4ddde5fb5c222d07e 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/authors.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/authors.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export const deleteAuthor = (collectionId, fragmentId, userId) => dispatch => {
 
 // selectors
 export const getFragmentAuthors = (state, fragmentId) =>
-  get(state, `authors.${fragmentId}`) || []
+  get(state, `authors.${fragmentId}`, [])
 
 export const getAuthorFetching = state => state.authors.isFetching
 export const getAuthorError = state => state.authors.error
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ export default (state = initialState, action) => {
     case FAILURE:
       return {
         ...initialState,
-        error: get(JSON.parse(get(action.error, 'response') || {}), 'error'),
+        error: get(JSON.parse(get(action.error, 'response', {})), 'error'),
         isFetching: false,
       }
     case 'UPDATE_FRAGMENT_SUCCESS':
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/recommendations.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/recommendations.js
index 4a62913c04cc48357bd9f82d65437732a36cf230..49f8ecc81bd0fe5ea39cf24a4d526f96a48e59a8 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/recommendations.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/recommendations.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { create, update } from 'pubsweet-client/src/helpers/api'
 
 // #region Selectors
 export const selectRecommendations = (state, fragmentId) =>
-  get(state, `fragments.${fragmentId}.recommendations`) || []
+  get(state, `fragments.${fragmentId}.recommendations`, [])
 export const selectEditorialRecommendations = (state, fragmentId) =>
   selectRecommendations(state, fragmentId).filter(
     r => r.recommendationType === 'editorRecommendation' && r.comments,
diff --git a/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/reviewers.js b/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/reviewers.js
index 73a7501d1ac367974c29bd220b0d7787228176d2..415c8076a7fed3c6ef68c8dc57b8e4125b22d6ce 100644
--- a/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/reviewers.js
+++ b/packages/components-faraday/src/redux/reviewers.js
@@ -72,18 +72,18 @@ export const clearReviewersError = () => ({
 })
 
 // #region Selectors
-export const selectReviewers = state => get(state, 'reviewers.reviewers') || []
+export const selectReviewers = state => get(state, 'reviewers.reviewers', [])
 export const selectReviewersError = state => get(state, 'reviewers.error')
 export const selectFetchingReviewers = state =>
-  get(state, 'reviewers.fetching.reviewers') || false
+  get(state, 'reviewers.fetching.reviewers', false)
 export const selectFetchingInvite = state =>
-  get(state, 'reviewers.fetching.invite') || false
+  get(state, 'reviewers.fetching.invite', false)
 export const selectFetchingDecision = state =>
-  get(state, 'reviewers.fetching.decision') || false
+  get(state, 'reviewers.fetching.decision', false)
 
 export const selectInvitation = (state, fragmentId) => {
   const currentUser = selectCurrentUser(state)
-  const invitations = get(state, `fragments.${fragmentId}.invitations`) || []
+  const invitations = get(state, `fragments.${fragmentId}.invitations`, [])
   return invitations.find(
     i => i.userId === currentUser.id && i.role === 'reviewer' && !i.hasAnswer,
   )
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export const selectInvitation = (state, fragmentId) => {
 
 export const currentUserIsReviewer = (state, fragmentId) => {
   const currentUser = selectCurrentUser(state)
-  const invitations = get(state, `fragments.${fragmentId}.invitations`) || []
+  const invitations = get(state, `fragments.${fragmentId}.invitations`, [])
   return !!invitations.find(
     i =>
       i.userId === currentUser.id &&
diff --git a/packages/xpub-faraday/app/config/journal/wizard-validators.js b/packages/xpub-faraday/app/config/journal/wizard-validators.js
index 25d58d4372c51981864e9e7822e81b219ac9123e..5cd9967296f36260d983077530a7efc4509624a4 100644
--- a/packages/xpub-faraday/app/config/journal/wizard-validators.js
+++ b/packages/xpub-faraday/app/config/journal/wizard-validators.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ export const parseEmptyHtml = value => {
 export const requiredBasedOnType = (value, formValues) => {
   if (
     requiredTypes.includes(get(formValues, 'metadata.type')) &&
-    (isEmpty(get(formValues, 'metadata.abstract')) || parseEmptyHtml(value))
+    isEmpty(get(formValues, 'metadata.abstract', parseEmptyHtml(value)))
   ) {
     return 'Required'
   }
diff --git a/packages/xpub-faraday/config/authsome-helpers.js b/packages/xpub-faraday/config/authsome-helpers.js
index 49d976c4c1491b23f5ab7d1f062ba8ee96373457..703f5d223912fa2e05e6423ea735a5cbd1c2298f 100644
--- a/packages/xpub-faraday/config/authsome-helpers.js
+++ b/packages/xpub-faraday/config/authsome-helpers.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ const parseAuthorsData = (coll, matchingCollPerm) => {
 }
 
 const setPublicStatuses = (coll, matchingCollPerm) => {
-  const status = get(coll, 'status') || 'draft'
+  const status = get(coll, 'status', 'draft')
   // coll.visibleStatus = statuses[status].public
   if (publicStatusesPermissions.includes(matchingCollPerm.permission)) {
     coll.visibleStatus = statuses[status].public
diff --git a/packages/xpub-faraday/config/authsome-mode.js b/packages/xpub-faraday/config/authsome-mode.js
index a585fc37f507aefb0cc15b3d0913f106c90d7573..1c6078a2d327192db853f72f67890c1fccc441ed 100644
--- a/packages/xpub-faraday/config/authsome-mode.js
+++ b/packages/xpub-faraday/config/authsome-mode.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ async function applyAuthenticatedUserPolicy(user, operation, object, context) {
     if (get(object, 'type') === 'collection') {
       return {
         filter: async collection => {
-          const status = get(collection, 'status') || 'draft'
+          const status = get(collection, 'status', 'draft')
           const userPermissions = await helpers.getUserPermissions({
             user,
             Team: context.models.Team,