diff --git a/Sources/AWSLambdaEvents/DynamoDB.swift b/Sources/AWSLambdaEvents/DynamoDB.swift
index 438b920..8e76807 100644
--- a/Sources/AWSLambdaEvents/DynamoDB.swift
+++ b/Sources/AWSLambdaEvents/DynamoDB.swift
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import struct Foundation.Date
 #else
 @preconcurrency import struct Foundation.Date
 #endif
+import struct Foundation.Data
 
 // https://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/latest/dg/with-ddb.html
 public struct DynamoDBEvent: Decodable, Sendable {
@@ -506,6 +507,9 @@ extension DynamoDBEvent {
 
         func decode<T>(_ type: T.Type, forKey key: K) throws -> T where T: Decodable {
             let decoder = try self.decoderForKey(key)
+            if case .list(let list) = decoder.value, list.isEmpty {
+                return [] as! T
+            }
             return try T(from: decoder)
         }
 
@@ -619,11 +623,14 @@ extension DynamoDBEvent {
         }
 
         func decode(_: String.Type) throws -> String {
-            guard case .string(let string) = self.value else {
+            switch self.value {
+            case .string(let string):
+                return string
+            case .binary(let binary):
+                return Data(binary).base64EncodedString()
+            default:
                 throw self.createTypeMismatchError(type: String.self, value: self.value)
             }
-
-            return string
         }
 
         func decode(_: Double.Type) throws -> Double {