diff --git a/server/src/main/java/com/objectcomputing/checkins/services/pulseresponse/PulseResponseController.java b/server/src/main/java/com/objectcomputing/checkins/services/pulseresponse/PulseResponseController.java
index 21eb96797..4de57a315 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/com/objectcomputing/checkins/services/pulseresponse/PulseResponseController.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/com/objectcomputing/checkins/services/pulseresponse/PulseResponseController.java
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ public HttpResponse commandPulseResponse(
     }
 
     @Secured(SecurityRule.IS_ANONYMOUS)
-    @Post("/external")
+    @Post(uri = "/external", consumes = MediaType.APPLICATION_FORM_URLENCODED)
     public HttpResponse<PulseResponse> externalPulseResponse(
                @Header("X-Slack-Signature") String signature,
                @Header("X-Slack-Request-Timestamp") String timestamp,
diff --git a/server/src/main/resources/slack/pulse_slack_blocks.json b/server/src/main/resources/slack/pulse_slack_blocks.json
index bdfd32a13..070cb9978 100644
--- a/server/src/main/resources/slack/pulse_slack_blocks.json
+++ b/server/src/main/resources/slack/pulse_slack_blocks.json
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
     },
     {
       "type": "input",
+      "optional": true,
       "element": {
         "type": "plain_text_input",
         "action_id": "internalFeelings",
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@
     },
     {
       "type": "input",
+      "optional": true,
       "element": {
         "type": "plain_text_input",
         "action_id": "externalFeelings",