diff --git a/src/main/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/METSContainer.java b/src/main/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/METSContainer.java
index 70a5de4..4c9276e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/METSContainer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/METSContainer.java
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public List<Datastream> getAugmentedFileDatastreams() throws SWORDException {
                         final Element fLocat = validateAndReturn("FLocat element", fileElement.getChild("FLocat", Namespaces.METS));
                         final String href = validateAndReturn("file content URL", fLocat.getAttributeValue("href", Namespaces.XLINK));
                         final URI uri = new URI(href);
-                        final boolean isFile = uri.getScheme().equals("file");
+                        final boolean isFile = "file".equals(uri.getScheme());
                         final String mimetype = validateAndReturn("mime type", fileElement.getAttributeValue("MIMETYPE"));
                         ds = buildDatastream(id, fileElement, href, mimetype, isFile);
                     } else {
@@ -177,8 +177,8 @@ public List<File> getTemporayFiles() throws SWORDException {
                         final Element fLocat = validateAndReturn("FLocat element", e.getChild("FLocat", Namespaces.METS));
                         final String href = validateAndReturn("file content URL", fLocat.getAttributeValue("href", Namespaces.XLINK));
                         final URI uri = new URI(href);
-                        final boolean isFile = uri.getScheme().equals("file");
-                        final boolean isTemporary = emptyIfNull(fLocat.getAttributeValue("USE")).equals("TEMPORARY");
+                        final boolean isFile = "file".equals(uri.getScheme());
+                        final boolean isTemporary = "TEMPORARY".equals(emptyIfNull(fLocat.getAttributeValue("USE")));
                         if (isFile && isTemporary) {
                             filesMarkedForRemoval.add(new File(uri));
                         }
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ private <E> E validateAndReturn(String description, E value) throws SWORDExcepti
     }
 
     private boolean isADeleteRequest(Element e) {
-        return e.getAttributeValue("USE") != null && e.getAttributeValue("USE").equals("DELETE");
+        return e.getAttributeValue("USE") != null && "DELETE".equals(e.getAttributeValue("USE"));
     }
 
     private String emptyIfNull(String s) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/QucosaMETSFileHandler.java b/src/main/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/QucosaMETSFileHandler.java
index 8d7d60c..6f2b5be 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/QucosaMETSFileHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/QucosaMETSFileHandler.java
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ public void validateObject(FedoraObject fedoraObject) throws SWORDException {
         // ensure there is a MODS datastream
         boolean modsExists = false;
         for (Datastream ds : fedoraObject.getDatastreams()) {
-            if (ds.getId().equals("MODS")) {
+            if ("MODS".equals(ds.getId())) {
                 modsExists = true;
                 break;
             }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/QucosaMETSFileHandler_UpdateTest.java b/src/test/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/QucosaMETSFileHandler_UpdateTest.java
index 14df3bb..850bd9b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/QucosaMETSFileHandler_UpdateTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/purl/sword/server/fedora/fileHandlers/QucosaMETSFileHandler_UpdateTest.java
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ public void datastreamGetsAdded() throws Exception {
                 CollectionUtils.find(argument.getAllValues(), new Predicate() {
                     @Override
                     public boolean evaluate(Object o) {
-                        return ((Datastream) o).getId().equals("ATT-2");
+                        return "ATT-2".equals(((Datastream) o).getId());
                     }
                 }));
     }