3 files changed, 19 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/java/org/onap/policy/controlloop/actor/appc/AppcActorServiceProvider.java b/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/java/org/onap/policy/controlloop/actor/appc/AppcActorServiceProvider.java
index f6a204540..76aa828c1 100644
--- a/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/java/org/onap/policy/controlloop/actor/appc/AppcActorServiceProvider.java
+++ b/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/java/org/onap/policy/controlloop/actor/appc/AppcActorServiceProvider.java
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 
 
 public class AppcActorServiceProvider extends BidirectionalTopicActor<BidirectionalTopicActorParams> {
-    private static final String NAME = "APPC";
+    public static final String NAME = "APPC";
 
     private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(AppcActorServiceProvider.class);
 
diff --git a/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/java/org/onap/policy/controlloop/actor/appc/AppcOperation.java b/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/java/org/onap/policy/controlloop/actor/appc/AppcOperation.java
index 7d4af80ad..dc46f1253 100644
--- a/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/java/org/onap/policy/controlloop/actor/appc/AppcOperation.java
+++ b/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/java/org/onap/policy/controlloop/actor/appc/AppcOperation.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
 import java.util.UUID;
+import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import org.onap.policy.appc.CommonHeader;
 import org.onap.policy.appc.Request;
 import org.onap.policy.appc.Response;
@@ -67,6 +68,14 @@ public abstract class AppcOperation extends BidirectionalTopicOperation<Request,
     }
 
     /**
+     * Starts the GUARD.
+     */
+    @Override
+    protected CompletableFuture<OperationOutcome> startPreprocessorAsync() {
+        return startGuardAsync();
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Makes a request, given the target VNF. This is a support function for
      * {@link #makeRequest(int)}.
      *
@@ -104,10 +113,16 @@ public abstract class AppcOperation extends BidirectionalTopicOperation<Request,
      * @param source source from which to get the values
      * @param target where to place the decoded values
      */
-    private static void convertPayload(Map<String, String> source, Map<String, Object> target) {
-        for (Entry<String, String> ent : source.entrySet()) {
+    private static void convertPayload(Map<String, Object> source, Map<String, Object> target) {
+        for (Entry<String, Object> ent : source.entrySet()) {
+            Object value = ent.getValue();
+            if (value == null) {
+                target.put(ent.getKey(), null);
+                continue;
+            }
+
             try {
-                target.put(ent.getKey(), coder.decode(ent.getValue(), Object.class));
+                target.put(ent.getKey(), coder.decode(value.toString(), Object.class));
 
             } catch (CoderException e) {
                 logger.warn("cannot decode JSON value {}: {}", ent.getKey(), ent.getValue(), e);
diff --git a/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/resources/META-INF/services/org.onap.policy.controlloop.actorServiceProvider.spi.Actor b/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/resources/META-INF/services/org.onap.policy.controlloop.actorserviceprovider.spi.Actor
index f1002a301..f1002a301 100644
--- a/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/resources/META-INF/services/org.onap.policy.controlloop.actorServiceProvider.spi.Actor
+++ b/models-interactions/model-actors/actor.appc/src/main/resources/META-INF/services/org.onap.policy.controlloop.actorserviceprovider.spi.Actor