diff --git a/lib/helpers/verifyApiKey.ts b/lib/helpers/verifyApiKey.ts
index cf5c4a8472..6026106231 100644
--- a/lib/helpers/verifyApiKey.ts
+++ b/lib/helpers/verifyApiKey.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ export const dateNotInPast = function (date: Date) {
 export const verifyApiKey: NextMiddleware = async (req, res, next) => {
   if (!req.query.apiKey) return res.status(401).json({ message: "No apiKey provided" });
   // We remove the prefix from the user provided api_key. If no env set default to "cal_"
-  const strippedApiKey = `${req.query.apiKey}`.replace(process.env.API_KEY_PREFIX || "cal_", "");
+  let strippedApiKey = `${req.query.apiKey}`.replace(process.env.API_KEY_PREFIX, "");
+  strippedApiKey = strippedApiKey.includes("cal_")
+    ? strippedApiKey.replace("cal_", "")
+    : strippedApiKey;
   // Hash the key again before matching against the database records.
   const hashedKey = hashAPIKey(strippedApiKey);
   // Check if the hashed api key exists in database.
diff --git a/lib/types.ts b/lib/types.ts
index cc3f95d7e8..574e164e29 100644
--- a/lib/types.ts
+++ b/lib/types.ts
@@ -124,13 +124,17 @@ export type EventTypeCustomInputResponse = BaseResponse & {
 export type EventTypeCustomInputsResponse = BaseResponse & {
   event_type_custom_inputs?: Partial<EventTypeCustomInput>[];
 };
-
+export interface EventTypeMeta extends Omit<EventType, "locations" | "metadata" | "recurringEvent"> {
+  locations?: JSON;
+  metadata?: JSON;
+  recurringEvent: JSON;
+}
 // EventType
 export type EventTypeResponse = BaseResponse & {
-  event_type?: Partial<EventType>;
+  event_type?: Partial<EventTypeMeta>;
 };
 export type EventTypesResponse = BaseResponse & {
-  event_types?: Partial<EventType>[];
+  event_types?: Partial<EventTypeMeta>[];
 };
 
 // Payment
diff --git a/lib/validations/event-type.ts b/lib/validations/event-type.ts
index 3357c53794..6b43a4474a 100644
--- a/lib/validations/event-type.ts
+++ b/lib/validations/event-type.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const schemaEventTypeCreateParams = z
     description: z.string().optional().nullable(),
     length: z.number().int(),
     locations: jsonSchema.optional().nullable().or(z.null()),
-    metadata: z.any().optional().nullable().nullish(),
+    metadata: z.any().optional().nullable().or(z.null()),
     recurringEvent: jsonSchema.optional().nullable().or(z.null()),
   })
   .strict();
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ export const schemaEventTypeReadPublic = EventType.pick({
   title: true,
   slug: true,
   length: true,
-  locations: true,
   hidden: true,
   position: true,
   userId: true,
@@ -86,11 +85,6 @@ export const schemaEventTypeReadPublic = EventType.pick({
   slotInterval: true,
   successRedirectUrl: true,
   description: true,
-})
-  .merge(
-    z.object({
-      recurringEvent: jsonSchema.nullable(),
-      metadata: jsonSchema.nullable(),
-    })
-  )
-  .strict();
+  locations: true,
+  metadata: true,
+});