diff --git a/source/framework/core/inc/TRestMetadata.h b/source/framework/core/inc/TRestMetadata.h
index e1e1910ef..59d5cf19e 100644
--- a/source/framework/core/inc/TRestMetadata.h
+++ b/source/framework/core/inc/TRestMetadata.h
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ class TRestMetadata : public TNamed {
 
    protected:
     // new xml utilities
-    std::string GetFieldValue(std::string parName, TiXmlElement* e);
+    std::string GetFieldValue(const std::string& parName, const TiXmlElement* e,
+                              const std::string& defaultValue = "Not defined") const;
     std::string GetParameter(std::string parName, TiXmlElement* e,
                              TString defaultValue = PARAMETER_NOT_FOUND_STR);
     Double_t GetDblParameterWithUnits(std::string parName, TiXmlElement* e,
diff --git a/source/framework/core/src/TRestMetadata.cxx b/source/framework/core/src/TRestMetadata.cxx
index f847d0f43..fd7b50dcd 100644
--- a/source/framework/core/src/TRestMetadata.cxx
+++ b/source/framework/core/src/TRestMetadata.cxx
@@ -1548,14 +1548,15 @@ TVector3 TRestMetadata::Get3DVectorParameterWithUnits(std::string parName, TiXml
 /// A version of GetParameter() but only find parameter in the fields of xml
 /// element. If not found, the returned string is "Not defined"
 ///
-std::string TRestMetadata::GetFieldValue(std::string parName, TiXmlElement* e) {
+string TRestMetadata::GetFieldValue(const string& parName, const TiXmlElement* e,
+                                    const string& defaultValue) const {
     if (e == nullptr) {
         RESTDebug << "Element is null" << RESTendl;
-        return "Not defined";
+        return defaultValue;
     }
     const char* val = e->Attribute(parName.c_str());
     if (val == nullptr) {
-        return "Not defined";
+        return defaultValue;
     }
 
     string result = (string)val;
diff --git a/source/framework/tools/inc/TRestStringHelper.h b/source/framework/tools/inc/TRestStringHelper.h
index 81eeecd48..91e98d86e 100644
--- a/source/framework/tools/inc/TRestStringHelper.h
+++ b/source/framework/tools/inc/TRestStringHelper.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ Double_t StringToDouble(std::string in);
 Int_t StringToInteger(std::string in);
 std::string IntegerToString(Int_t n, std::string format = "%d");
 std::string DoubleToString(Double_t d, std::string format = "%4.2lf");
-Bool_t StringToBool(std::string in);
+Bool_t StringToBool(const std::string& in);
 Long64_t StringToLong(std::string in);
 TVector3 StringTo3DVector(std::string in);
 TVector2 StringTo2DVector(std::string in);
diff --git a/source/framework/tools/src/TRestStringHelper.cxx b/source/framework/tools/src/TRestStringHelper.cxx
index 52c878af6..8c734acb5 100644
--- a/source/framework/tools/src/TRestStringHelper.cxx
+++ b/source/framework/tools/src/TRestStringHelper.cxx
@@ -625,8 +625,8 @@ string REST_StringHelper::IntegerToString(Int_t n, std::string format) { return
 ///
 string REST_StringHelper::DoubleToString(Double_t d, std::string format) { return Form(format.c_str(), d); }
 
-Bool_t REST_StringHelper::StringToBool(std::string in) {
-    return (ToUpper(in) == "TRUE" || ToUpper(in) == "ON");
+Bool_t REST_StringHelper::StringToBool(const std::string& in) {
+    return (ToUpper(in) == "TRUE" || ToUpper(in) == "ON" || ToUpper(in) == "1");
 }
 
 Long64_t REST_StringHelper::StringToLong(std::string in) {