diff --git a/guardrails/actions/filter.py b/guardrails/actions/filter.py
index e11bb7d5d..54364bb47 100644
--- a/guardrails/actions/filter.py
+++ b/guardrails/actions/filter.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from typing import Any, Dict, List
+from typing import Any
 
 
 class Filter:
@@ -9,30 +9,19 @@ def apply_filters(value: Any) -> Any:
     """Recursively filter out any values that are instances of Filter."""
     if isinstance(value, Filter):
         pass
-    elif isinstance(value, List):
-        # Cleaner syntax but requires two iterations
-        # filtered_list = list(filter(None, map(apply_filters, value)))
+    elif isinstance(value, list):
         filtered_list = []
         for item in value:
             filtered_item = apply_filters(item)
             if filtered_item is not None:
                 filtered_list.append(filtered_item)
-
         return filtered_list
-    elif isinstance(value, Dict):
-        # Cleaner syntax but requires two iterations
-        # filtered_dict = {
-        #     k: apply_filters(v)
-        #     for k, v in value.items()
-        #     if apply_filters(v)
-        # }
+    elif isinstance(value, dict):
         filtered_dict = {}
         for k, v in value.items():
-            # Should we omit the key or just the value?
             filtered_value = apply_filters(v)
             if filtered_value is not None:
                 filtered_dict[k] = filtered_value
-
         return filtered_dict
     else:
         return value
diff --git a/guardrails/actions/refrain.py b/guardrails/actions/refrain.py
index a4819cc20..9f13a3c5f 100644
--- a/guardrails/actions/refrain.py
+++ b/guardrails/actions/refrain.py
@@ -28,16 +28,16 @@ def apply_refrain(value: Any, output_type: OutputTypes) -> Any:
 
     If found, return an empty value of the appropriate type.
     """
-    refrain_value = {}
-    if output_type == OutputTypes.STRING:
-        refrain_value = ""
-    elif output_type == OutputTypes.LIST:
-        refrain_value = []
-
     if check_for_refrain(value):
         # If the data contains a `Refain` value, we return an empty
         # value.
+        if output_type == OutputTypes.STRING:
+            refrain_value = ""
+        elif output_type == OutputTypes.LIST:
+            refrain_value = []
+        else:
+            refrain_value = {}
         logger.debug("Refrain detected.")
-        value = refrain_value
+        return refrain_value
 
     return value