diff --git a/Common/Node/expandJObject.ts b/Common/Node/expandJObject.ts
index 7424f95..0895717 100644
--- a/Common/Node/expandJObject.ts
+++ b/Common/Node/expandJObject.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export function recursiveProcessing(obj: any, prefix: string, isSecret: boolean)
     if (obj instanceof Array) {
         for (var index = 0; index < obj.length; index++) {
             var element = obj[index];
-            recursiveProcessing(element, prefix + "_" + index.toString(), isSecret);
+            recursiveProcessing(element, (prefix ? prefix + "_" : "") + index.toString(), isSecret);
         }
     } else if (typeArray.indexOf(typeof obj) > -1) {
         var objValue = typeArray.indexOf(typeof obj)>0 ? obj.toString() : obj;
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export function recursiveProcessing(obj: any, prefix: string, isSecret: boolean)
         for (var key in obj) {
             if (obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
                 var element = obj[key];
-                recursiveProcessing(element, prefix + "_" + key, isSecret);
+                recursiveProcessing(element, (prefix ? prefix + "_" : "") + key, isSecret);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/Tasks/LoadJsonVariables/task.json b/Tasks/LoadJsonVariables/task.json
index f73bf33..1622de9 100644
--- a/Tasks/LoadJsonVariables/task.json
+++ b/Tasks/LoadJsonVariables/task.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
             "type": "string",
             "label": "Prefix to use for loaded variables",
             "defaultValue": "",
-            "required": true,
+            "required": false,
             "helpMarkDown": "Loaded variables will be named PREFIX_VariableName"
         }, 
         {
diff --git a/Tasks/LoadPlistVariables/task.json b/Tasks/LoadPlistVariables/task.json
index 165d52c..02e85eb 100644
--- a/Tasks/LoadPlistVariables/task.json
+++ b/Tasks/LoadPlistVariables/task.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
             "type": "string",
             "label": "Prefix to use for loaded Variables",
             "defaultValue": "",
-            "required": true,
+            "required": false,
             "helpMarkDown": "variable will be named PREFIX_VariableName"
         }, 
         {
diff --git a/Tasks/LoadXmlVariables/task.json b/Tasks/LoadXmlVariables/task.json
index 1313874..3fc3cda 100644
--- a/Tasks/LoadXmlVariables/task.json
+++ b/Tasks/LoadXmlVariables/task.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
             "type": "string",
             "label": "Prefix to use for loaded Variables",
             "defaultValue": "",
-            "required": true,
+            "required": false,
             "helpMarkDown": "variable will be named PREFIX_VariableName"
         }, 
         {
diff --git a/Tasks/LoadYamlVariables/task.json b/Tasks/LoadYamlVariables/task.json
index 95ffda0..0c5fa8c 100644
--- a/Tasks/LoadYamlVariables/task.json
+++ b/Tasks/LoadYamlVariables/task.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
             "type": "string",
             "label": "Prefix to use for loaded Variables",
             "defaultValue": "",
-            "required": true,
+            "required": false,
             "helpMarkDown": "variable will be named PREFIX_VariableName"
         }, 
         {