diff --git a/crud.py b/crud.py
index 8abcbbb..8996a2e 100644
--- a/crud.py
+++ b/crud.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import json
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 from typing import Optional
 
@@ -7,30 +6,6 @@ from lnbits.helpers import urlsafe_short_hash
 
 from .models import CreateEvent, Event, Ticket, TicketExtra
 
-
-def _parse_ticket_row(row) -> dict:
-    """
-    Parse a database row into a dict suitable for Ticket model creation.
-    Handles:
-    - Empty string to None conversion for name/email
-    - JSON string to dict conversion for extra field
-    """
-    ticket_data = dict(row)
-
-    # Convert empty strings back to None for the model
-    if ticket_data.get("name") == "":
-        ticket_data["name"] = None
-    if ticket_data.get("email") == "":
-        ticket_data["email"] = None
-
-    # Parse extra field from JSON string if needed
-    # (db.insert() serializes to JSON, but manual fetchone/fetchall returns string)
-    extra = ticket_data.get("extra")
-    if isinstance(extra, str):
-        ticket_data["extra"] = json.loads(extra)
-
-    return ticket_data
-
 db = Database("ext_events")
 
 
@@ -119,7 +94,14 @@ async def get_ticket(payment_hash: str) -> Optional[Ticket]:
     if not row:
         return None
 
-    return Ticket(**_parse_ticket_row(row))
+    # Convert empty strings back to None for the model
+    ticket_data = dict(row)
+    if ticket_data.get("name") == "":
+        ticket_data["name"] = None
+    if ticket_data.get("email") == "":
+        ticket_data["email"] = None
+
+    return Ticket(**ticket_data)
 
 
 async def get_tickets(wallet_ids: str | list[str]) -> list[Ticket]:
@@ -128,7 +110,17 @@ async def get_tickets(wallet_ids: str | list[str]) -> list[Ticket]:
     q = ",".join([f"'{wallet_id}'" for wallet_id in wallet_ids])
     rows = await db.fetchall(f"SELECT * FROM events.ticket WHERE wallet IN ({q})")
 
-    return [Ticket(**_parse_ticket_row(row)) for row in rows]
+    tickets = []
+    for row in rows:
+        # Convert empty strings back to None for the model
+        ticket_data = dict(row)
+        if ticket_data.get("name") == "":
+            ticket_data["name"] = None
+        if ticket_data.get("email") == "":
+            ticket_data["email"] = None
+        tickets.append(Ticket(**ticket_data))
+
+    return tickets
 
 
 async def get_tickets_by_user_id(user_id: str) -> list[Ticket]:
@@ -138,7 +130,17 @@ async def get_tickets_by_user_id(user_id: str) -> list[Ticket]:
         {"user_id": user_id}
     )
 
-    return [Ticket(**_parse_ticket_row(row)) for row in rows]
+    tickets = []
+    for row in rows:
+        # Convert empty strings back to None for the model
+        ticket_data = dict(row)
+        if ticket_data.get("name") == "":
+            ticket_data["name"] = None
+        if ticket_data.get("email") == "":
+            ticket_data["email"] = None
+        tickets.append(Ticket(**ticket_data))
+
+    return tickets
 
 
 async def delete_ticket(payment_hash: str) -> None:
@@ -210,4 +212,14 @@ async def get_event_tickets(event_id: str) -> list[Ticket]:
         {"event": event_id},
     )
 
-    return [Ticket(**_parse_ticket_row(row)) for row in rows]
+    tickets = []
+    for row in rows:
+        # Convert empty strings back to None for the model
+        ticket_data = dict(row)
+        if ticket_data.get("name") == "":
+            ticket_data["name"] = None
+        if ticket_data.get("email") == "":
+            ticket_data["email"] = None
+        tickets.append(Ticket(**ticket_data))
+
+    return tickets