diff --git a/dll/steam_apps.cpp b/dll/steam_apps.cpp
index f33c37ce..e9cb5f9a 100644
--- a/dll/steam_apps.cpp
+++ b/dll/steam_apps.cpp
@@ -549,10 +549,10 @@ bool Steam_Apps::SetActiveBeta( const char *pchBetaName )
     PRINT_DEBUG("'%s'", pchBetaName);
     std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> lock(global_mutex);
 
-    // (sdk 1.60) apparently steam doesn't verify this condition, tested by 'universal963' on appid 480
-    //if (!pchBetaName) return false;
+    // (sdk 1.60) apparently steam always returns true if the string is null or empty, tested by 'universal963' on appid 480
+    if (!pchBetaName || !pchBetaName[0]) return true;
 
-    std::string beta_name = pchBetaName ? pchBetaName : "";
+    std::string beta_name = pchBetaName;
     auto branch_it = std::find_if(settings->branches.begin(), settings->branches.end(), [&beta_name](const Branch_Info &item){
         return common_helpers::str_cmp_insensitive(beta_name, item.name);
     });
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ bool Steam_Apps::SetActiveBeta( const char *pchBetaName )
         return true;
     }
 
-    return true; // (sdk 1.60) apparently steam doesn't even care and just returns true anyway, tested by 'universal963' on appid 480
+    return false;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tools/generate_emu_config/generate_emu_config.py b/tools/generate_emu_config/generate_emu_config.py
index 5e54657c..f3286779 100644
--- a/tools/generate_emu_config/generate_emu_config.py
+++ b/tools/generate_emu_config/generate_emu_config.py
@@ -921,21 +921,6 @@ def main():
                 for game_depot in all_depots:
                     f.write(f"{game_depot}\n")
         
-        # try to read "build_id" from "public" branch
-        # .FirstOrDefault("public")
-        public_branch: dict = next(( branch for branch in all_branches if branch['name'].lower() == 'public' ), None)
-        if public_branch is not None:
-            buildid = str(public_branch['build_id'])
-            if buildid != '0':
-                merge_dict(out_config_app_ini, {
-                    'configs.app.ini': {
-                        'app::general': {
-                            'build_id': (buildid, 'allow the app/game to show the correct build id'),
-                        }
-                    }
-                })
-                # write the data as soon as possible in case a later step caused an exception
-                write_ini_file(emu_settings_dir, out_config_app_ini)
         if all_branches:
             with open(os.path.join(emu_settings_dir, "branches.json"), "wt", encoding='utf-8') as f:
                 json.dump(all_branches, f, ensure_ascii=False, indent=2)