diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-content.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-content.yml
index 1a74d66d..73d5e1b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-content.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-content.yml
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ jobs:
             await github.rest.checks.create({
               owner: context.repo.owner,
               repo: context.repo.repo,
-              name: 'Validate content / validate',
+              name: 'validate',
               head_sha: '${{ steps.create-pr.outputs.pull-request-head-sha }}',
               status: 'completed',
               conclusion,
diff --git a/src/app/api/preview/route.ts b/src/app/api/preview/route.ts
index 3670110f..168b3c69 100644
--- a/src/app/api/preview/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/preview/route.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ async function parseContentFile(filename: string, ref: string, headers: Record<s
     slug: data.slug,
     name: data.name,
     shortDescription: data.shortDescription ?? "",
-    description: description.trim(),
+    description: description?.trim() ?? "",
     banner: toRawUrl(data.banner, ref),
     logo: toRawUrl(data.logo, ref),
     tags: data.tags ?? [],
diff --git a/src/lib/parse-issue.ts b/src/lib/parse-issue.ts
index 68c7dd46..a6608d71 100644
--- a/src/lib/parse-issue.ts
+++ b/src/lib/parse-issue.ts
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ function extractField(content: string, label: string): string {
   if (linkMatch) {
     return /url/i.test(label) ? linkMatch[2].trim() : linkMatch[1].trim();
   }
-  return match[1].trim();
+  // Strip backtick code spans 
+  return match[1].trim().replace(/^`(.*)`$/, "$1");
 }
 
 function parseLegacyMetadata(markdown: string): IssueMetadata {
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ export function parseList(markdown: string, sectionName: string): string[] {
     line
       .replace(/^-\s*/, "") // strip leading "- " or "-"
       .split(",")            // handle comma-separated values
-      .map((s) => s.replace(/^`(.*)`$/, "$1").trim())
+      .map((s) => s.replace(/^`(.*)`$/, "$1").replace(/^"(.*)"$/, "$1").trim())
       .filter((s) => s && s !== "-");
 
   // Legacy format: bullet points (- slug)
diff --git a/src/lib/utils.ts b/src/lib/utils.ts
index a65e995c..d21d6a21 100644
--- a/src/lib/utils.ts
+++ b/src/lib/utils.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ export function cn(...inputs: ClassValue[]) {
   return twMerge(clsx(inputs))
 }
 
-export function calcReadTime(text: string): number {
+export function calcReadTime(text: string | undefined | null): number {
+  if (!text) return 1;
   const wordCount = text.trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean).length;
   return Math.max(1, Math.ceil(wordCount / 265));
 }