diff --git a/workflow/qhtcp-workflow b/workflow/qhtcp-workflow
index f140664e..ef3a1a2d 100755
--- a/workflow/qhtcp-workflow
+++ b/workflow/qhtcp-workflow
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ ask_pn() {
       fi
     fi
   done
-  [[ -z ${ADD_PROJECTS[*]} ]]
+  [[ ${#ADD_PROJECTS[@]} -gt 0 ]]
 }
 debug() { (( DEBUG )) && echo "Debug: $*"; }
 # Not super portable but nice to have
@@ -525,22 +525,29 @@ interactive_header() {
   echo ""
 
   # Let user choose or add project(s)
-  if [[ -z ${PROJECTS[*]} ]]; then
+  if [[ ${#PROJECTS[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
     num=$((${#projects[@]}))
     if [[ $num -eq 0 ]]; then
       ask_pn && PROJECTS+=("${ADD_PROJECTS[@]}")
     else
-      echo "Enter a comma-separated list of project numbers to analyze"
-      ((YES)) || read -r -p "Enter \"new\" to add a new project or hit Enter for default ($num): " response
-      if [[ $response == "new" ]]; then 
-        ask_pn && PROJECTS+=("${ADD_PROJECTS[@]}")
-      else
-        [[ -z $response ]] && response=$num
-        IFS=',' read -ra arr <<< "$response"
-        for i in "${arr[@]}"; do
-          PROJECTS+=("${projects[$((i-1))]}")
-        done
-      fi
+      for ((c=0; c<=1; c++)); do # safe loop that only runs once
+        echo "Enter a comma-separated list of project numbers to analyze"
+        ((YES)) || read -r -p "Enter 0 to add a new project or hit Enter for default project ($num): " response
+        if [[ $response == 0 ]]; then 
+          ask_pn && PROJECTS+=("${ADD_PROJECTS[@]}")
+        else
+          [[ -z $response ]] && response=$num
+          IFS=',' read -ra arr <<< "$response"
+          for i in "${arr[@]}"; do
+            if [[ -n ${projects[$((i-1))]} ]]; then
+              PROJECTS+=("${projects[$((i-1))]}")
+            else
+              err "Project number $i is invalid"
+            fi
+          done
+        fi  
+        [[ ${#PROJECTS[@]} -eq 0 ]] && c=0 # repeat the loop
+      done
     fi
     unset response arr i
   fi
@@ -553,7 +560,7 @@ interactive_header() {
     fi
   done
 
-  if [[ -z ${MODULES[*]} && -z ${EXCLUDE_MODULES[*]} ]]; then
+  if [[ ${#MODULES[@]} -eq 0 && ${#EXCLUDE_MODULES[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
     echo "Enter a comma-separated list of modules to run"
     ((YES)) || read -r -p "Hit Enter for all (default) or '0' for none: " response
     if [[ -z $response ]]; then
@@ -569,7 +576,7 @@ interactive_header() {
     unset response arr i
   fi
 
-  if [[ -z ${MODULES[*]} && -z ${EXCLUDE_MODULES[*]} && -z ${SUBMODULES[*]} ]]; then
+  if [[ ${#MODULES[@]} -eq 0 && ${#EXCLUDE_MODULES[@]} -eq 0 && ${#SUBMODULES[@]} -eq 0 ]]; then
     while :; do
       echo "Enter a submodule followed by its arguments as a comma-separated string"
       echo "Quote your string if there are any whitespaces"