diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/SubmissionSet.java b/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/SubmissionSet.java
index f958bb638..743d32b2e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/SubmissionSet.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/jplag/SubmissionSet.java
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ public List<Submission> getInvalidSubmissions() {
     }
 
     public void normalizeSubmissions() {
+        if (baseCodeSubmission != null) {
+            baseCodeSubmission.normalize();
+        }
         ProgressBarLogger.iterate(ProgressBarType.TOKEN_STRING_NORMALIZATION, submissions, Submission::normalize);
     }