diff --git a/src/data/loader.py b/src/data/loader.py
index 1490eaeb..28841746 100644
--- a/src/data/loader.py
+++ b/src/data/loader.py
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ def _create_data(self,
                     # Extract the filename and ground truth from the fields
                     file_name = fields[0]
 
-                    # Skip missing files unless explicitly included
+                    # Skip missing files
                     if not os.path.exists(file_name):
                         logging.warning(f"Missing: {file_name} in {file_path}."
                                         f" Skipping for {partition_name}...")
@@ -162,10 +162,14 @@ def _create_data(self,
                     # ground truth unless it's an inference partition
                     ground_truth = fields[-1] if len(fields) > 1 else ""
 
-                    if partition_name != "inference" and not ground_truth:
-                        logging.warning(f"Empty ground truth in {line}. "
-                                        f"Skipping for {partition_name}...")
-                        continue
+                    if not ground_truth:
+                        if partition_name == "inference":
+                            ground_truth = "INFERENCE"
+                        else:
+                            logging.warning(f"Empty ground truth in {line}. "
+                                            f"Skipping for {partition_name}..."
+                                            )
+                            continue
 
                     # Normalize the ground truth if a normalization file is
                     # provided and the partition is either 'train' or
@@ -180,9 +184,10 @@ def _create_data(self,
                     # Check for unsupported characters in the ground truth
                     # Evaluation partition is allowed to have unsupported
                     # characters for a more realistic evaluation
-                    if any(char not in characters for char in ground_truth) \
-                            and partition_name != "validation":
-                        if partition_name == 'train' and not self.charlist:
+                    if any(char not in characters for char in ground_truth):
+                        if partition_name in ['evaluation', 'inference']:
+                            pass
+                        elif partition_name == 'train' and not self.charlist:
                             characters.update(set(ground_truth))
                         else:
                             logging.warning("Unsupported character in %s. "
diff --git a/src/modes/test.py b/src/modes/test.py
index 65bc7b1c..c7b46405 100644
--- a/src/modes/test.py
+++ b/src/modes/test.py
@@ -157,9 +157,11 @@ def perform_test(config: Config,
     n_items = 0
 
     for batch_no, batch in enumerate(test_dataset):
-        logging.info("Batch %s/%s", batch_no + 1, len(test_dataset))
+        # Unpack the batch and ignore the third element (sample weights)
+        X, y_true, _ = batch
 
-        batch_counter = process_batch(batch, prediction_model, tokenizer,
+        logging.info("Batch %s/%s", batch_no + 1, len(test_dataset))
+        batch_counter = process_batch((X, y_true), prediction_model, tokenizer,
                                       config, wbs, dataloader, charlist)
 
         # Update the total counter