diff --git a/src/metadata_review_lib.py b/src/metadata_review_lib.py
index a74863c..c7d7428 100644
--- a/src/metadata_review_lib.py
+++ b/src/metadata_review_lib.py
@@ -193,7 +193,21 @@ def second_save_metadata_review(review_yaml_file_path, reviewer_attrs):
         print('Nothing to commit.')
 
 
+def parse_attribute(attr_value):
+    dtype = []
+    values_list = []
+    max_length = 100
+    for key in attr_value.keys():
+        if (not key=='rename_as'):
+            dtype.append((key,f'S{max_length}'))
+            values_list.append(attr_value[key])  
 
+    if len(values_list)>2:
+        new_attr_value = np.array([tuple(values_list)],dtype=dtype)
+    else:                                                     
+        new_attr_value = attr_value['value']
+
+    return new_attr_value
 
 def third_update_hdf5_file_with_review(input_hdf5_file, yalm_review_file, reviewer_attrs = {}, hdf5_upload : bool = False):
 
@@ -240,41 +254,37 @@ def third_update_hdf5_file_with_review(input_hdf5_file, yalm_review_file, review
                 for attr_name, attr_value in yaml_obj['attributes'].items():
                     #attr_value = yaml_obj['attributes'][attr_name] 
 
+                    if not isinstance(attr_value,dict):
+                        attr_value = {'rename_as':attr_name, 'value':attr_value, 'delete': False}
+
+                    if attr_value.get('delete',False) and (attr_name in hdf5_obj.attrs.keys()):
+                        hdf5_obj.attrs.__delitem__(attr_name)
+                        continue
+
                     # Check whether attr_name belongs to the existing attributes of hdf5_obj
                     if attr_name in hdf5_obj.attrs.keys(): 
                     #else: # renaming attribute and possibly change of value assigment
-                        if isinstance(attr_value,dict):
-                            # Retreive possibly new attribute's name and value
-                            new_attr_name  = attr_value.get('rename_as',attr_name) # if 'rename_as' is a key in attr_value returns the value, otherwise it return the existing value
-                            
-                            dtype = []
-                            values_list = []
-                            max_length = 100
-                            for key in attr_value.keys():
-                                if (not key=='rename_as'):
-                                    dtype.append((key,f'S{max_length}'))
-                                    values_list.append(attr_value.get(key,hdf5_obj.attrs[attr_name]))
-                            if len(values_list)>2:
-                                new_attr_value = np.array([tuple(values_list)],dtype=dtype)
-                            else:                                                     
-                                new_attr_value = attr_value.get('value',hdf5_obj.attrs[attr_name])
 
-                            hdf5_obj.attrs[new_attr_name] = new_attr_value
+                    #if isinstance(attr_value,dict):
+                    #    # Retreive possibly new attribute's name and value
+                        new_attr_name  = attr_value.get('rename_as',attr_name) # if 'rename_as' is a key in attr_value returns the value, otherwise it return the existing value
+                        
+                        hdf5_obj.attrs[new_attr_name] = parse_attribute(attr_value)
 
-                            # Remove from hdf5_obj.attrs attribute w/ name: attr_name if
-                            # yaml indicates a renaming of the attribute.
-                            if not (new_attr_name == attr_name): 
-                                hdf5_obj.attrs.__delitem__(attr_name)
-                        else:
-                            hdf5_obj.attrs[attr_name] = attr_value
+                        # Remove from hdf5_obj.attrs attribute w/ name: attr_name if
+                        # yaml indicates a renaming of the attribute.
+                        if not (new_attr_name == attr_name): 
+                            hdf5_obj.attrs.__delitem__(attr_name)
+                    #else:
+                    #    hdf5_obj.attrs[attr_name] = attr_value
                     else: # attribute inclusion
-                        if isinstance(attr_value,dict):
+                        #if isinstance(attr_value,dict):
                             # Retreive new attribute's name and value
-                            new_attr_name  = attr_value.get('rename_as',attr_name) # if 'rename_as' is a key in attr_value returns the value, otherwise it return the existing value
-                            new_attr_value = attr_value.get('value',np.nan) # TODO: let the user know why np.nan might have been assigned
-                            hdf5_obj.attrs[new_attr_name] = new_attr_value 
-                        else:
-                            hdf5_obj.attrs[attr_name] = attr_value
+                        #    new_attr_name  = attr_value.get('rename_as',attr_name) # if 'rename_as' is a key in attr_value returns the value, otherwise it return the existing value
+                        #    new_attr_value = attr_value.get('value',np.nan) # TODO: let the user know why np.nan might have been assigned
+                        hdf5_obj.attrs[attr_name] = parse_attribute(attr_value)
+                        #else:
+                        #    hdf5_obj.attrs[attr_name] = attr_value
 
         # Recreate/or update yaml representation of updated input_hdf5_file.                   
         output_yml_filename_path = hdf5_vis.take_yml_snapshot_of_hdf5_file(input_hdf5_file)