diff --git a/src/main/java/com/eactive/eai/transformer/layout/Item.java b/src/main/java/com/eactive/eai/transformer/layout/Item.java
index d28fe74..dd00671 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/eactive/eai/transformer/layout/Item.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/eactive/eai/transformer/layout/Item.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import java.io.Serializable;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 
+import com.eactive.eai.common.util.MaskingUtils;
 import com.eactive.eai.transformer.message.InvalidAccessException;
 import com.eactive.eai.transformer.message.Message;
 import com.eactive.eai.transformer.message.MessageException;
@@ -934,6 +935,9 @@ abstract public class Item implements Serializable, Cloneable {
     	else
     		str = val.toString();
     	
+    	if(maskLength == 0 && maskOffset > 0)
+    		return MaskingUtils.mask(str, maskOffset);
+    	
     	int len = str.length();
     	if( len <= maskOffset ) return str;