diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/ugandaemr/api/impl/UgandaEMRServiceImpl.java b/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/ugandaemr/api/impl/UgandaEMRServiceImpl.java
index c6b46c101..4ea6079fb 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/ugandaemr/api/impl/UgandaEMRServiceImpl.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/openmrs/module/ugandaemr/api/impl/UgandaEMRServiceImpl.java
@@ -2423,21 +2423,40 @@ private void deleteDirectory(Path path) throws IOException {
     }
 
     private boolean validateCPHLBarCode(String accessionNumber) {
-        Integer minimumCPHLBarCodeLength = Integer.parseInt(Context.getAdministrationService().getGlobalProperty("ugandaemrsync.minimumCPHLBarCodeLength"));
-        if (accessionNumber == null || accessionNumber.length() < minimumCPHLBarCodeLength) {
+        if (accessionNumber == null || accessionNumber.trim().isEmpty()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        accessionNumber = accessionNumber.trim();
+
+        int minimumCPHLBarCodeLength = 10;
+        try {
+            String gpValue = Context.getAdministrationService()
+                    .getGlobalProperty("ugandaemrsync.minimumCPHLBarCodeLength");
+            if (gpValue != null) {
+                minimumCPHLBarCodeLength = Integer.parseInt(gpValue);
+            }
+        } catch (NumberFormatException ignored) {
+            log.error(ignored);
+        }
+
+        if (accessionNumber.length() < minimumCPHLBarCodeLength || accessionNumber.length() < 2) {
             return false;
         }
 
         int currentYearSuffix = Year.now().getValue() % 100;
+        int previousYearSuffix = (currentYearSuffix == 0) ? 99 : currentYearSuffix - 1;
 
+        int prefix;
         try {
-            int prefix = Integer.parseInt(accessionNumber.substring(0, 2));
-            return prefix == currentYearSuffix || prefix == (currentYearSuffix - 1);
+            prefix = Integer.parseInt(accessionNumber.substring(0, 2));
         } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
             return false;
         }
+
+        return prefix == currentYearSuffix || prefix == previousYearSuffix;
     }
 
+
     private boolean accessionNumberAlreadyUsed(String accessionNumber) {
         // Escape single quotes to prevent SQL injection or errors
         String safeAccessionNumber = accessionNumber.replace("'", "''");