diff --git a/council/llm/llm_function/data/response_hints.yaml b/council/llm/llm_function/data/response_hints.yaml
index 4455c48c..98bb1648 100644
--- a/council/llm/llm_function/data/response_hints.yaml
+++ b/council/llm/llm_function/data/response_hints.yaml
@@ -23,5 +23,7 @@ code_blocks:
   hints_common: |
     - Provide your response in a the following code blocks.
     - All keys must be present in the response, even when their values are empty.
-    - For empty values, include empty quotes ("") rather than leaving them blank.
+    - For empty values, leave them blank as follows:
+      ```empty_field
+      ```
     - Your output outside of code blocks will not be parsed.
diff --git a/tests/unit/llm/test_llm_response_parser_response_template.py b/tests/unit/llm/test_llm_response_parser_response_template.py
index 7d52442b..d1d4100c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/llm/test_llm_response_parser_response_template.py
+++ b/tests/unit/llm/test_llm_response_parser_response_template.py
@@ -173,7 +173,9 @@ def test_with_hints(self):
             template,
             """- Provide your response in a the following code blocks.
 - All keys must be present in the response, even when their values are empty.
-- For empty values, include empty quotes ("") rather than leaving them blank.
+- For empty values, leave them blank as follows:
+  ```empty_field
+  ```
 - Your output outside of code blocks will not be parsed.
 
 ```reasoning