diff --git a/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/data/mdstore/manager/controller/ZeppelinRestController.java b/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/data/mdstore/manager/controller/ZeppelinRestController.java
index 70987170..6263d191 100644
--- a/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/data/mdstore/manager/controller/ZeppelinRestController.java
+++ b/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/data/mdstore/manager/controller/ZeppelinRestController.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ public class ZeppelinRestController extends AbstractDnetController {
 	@GetMapping("/zeppelin/templates")
 	public List<String> getTemplates() throws MDStoreManagerException {
 		try {
+			// if (zeppelinClient.get)
 			return zeppelinClient.listTemplates();
 		} catch (final Throwable e) {
 			throw new MDStoreManagerException("Zeppelin is unreachable", e);
diff --git a/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/data/mdstore/manager/utils/ZeppelinClient.java b/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/data/mdstore/manager/utils/ZeppelinClient.java
index b3088311..bf273265 100644
--- a/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/data/mdstore/manager/utils/ZeppelinClient.java
+++ b/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/data/mdstore/manager/utils/ZeppelinClient.java
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ public class ZeppelinClient {
 
 	public String zeppelinNote(final String note, final MDStoreWithInfo mdstore, final String currentVersionPath) throws MDStoreManagerException {
 
+		if (notConfigured()) { throw new MDStoreManagerException("A zeppelin property is empty"); }
+
 		final String newName =
 			StringUtils.join(Arrays.asList(zeppelinNamePrefix, "notes", mdstore.getDatasourceName().replaceAll("/", "-"), mdstore.getApiId()
 				.replaceAll("/", "-"), note.replaceAll("/", "-"), mdstore.getCurrentVersion().replaceAll("/", "-")), "/");
@@ -107,12 +109,17 @@ public class ZeppelinClient {
 
 	public List<String> listTemplates() {
 		final String prefix = zeppelinNamePrefix + "/templates/";
-		return listNotes().stream()
-			.map(map -> map.get("name"))
-			.filter(s -> s.startsWith(prefix))
-			.map(s -> StringUtils.substringAfter(s, prefix))
-			.sorted()
-			.collect(Collectors.toList());
+
+		if (notConfigured()) {
+			return new ArrayList<>();
+		} else {
+			return listNotes().stream()
+				.map(map -> map.get("name"))
+				.filter(s -> s.startsWith(prefix))
+				.map(s -> StringUtils.substringAfter(s, prefix))
+				.sorted()
+				.collect(Collectors.toList());
+		}
 	}
 
 	private List<Map<String, String>> listNotes() {
@@ -149,8 +156,9 @@ public class ZeppelinClient {
 
 	@Scheduled(fixedRate = 12 * 60 * 60 * 1000) // 12 hours
 	public void cleanExpiredNotes() {
-		try {
+		if (notConfigured()) { return; }
 
+		try {
 			// I sort the notes according to the version datestamp (more recent first)
 			final List<Map<String, String>> notes = listNotes()
 				.stream()
@@ -302,4 +310,8 @@ public class ZeppelinClient {
 		this.jsessionid = jsessionid;
 	}
 
+	private boolean notConfigured() {
+		return StringUtils.isAnyBlank(zeppelinBaseUrl, zeppelinLogin, zeppelinPassword, zeppelinNamePrefix);
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/resources/templates/inspector.html b/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/resources/templates/inspector.html
index f70f156c..3a8ba655 100644
--- a/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/resources/templates/inspector.html
+++ b/apps/dhp-mdstore-manager/src/main/resources/templates/inspector.html
@@ -124,8 +124,12 @@
 					<br />
 					
 					<div class="card mt-4" ng-repeat="rec in records | filter:recordsFilter">
-						<div class="card-header text-white bg-primary small">{{rec.id}}</div>
-						<table class="table table-condensed table-striped small">
+						<div class="card-header text-white bg-primary small">
+							<span ng-show="rec.id">{{rec.id}}</span>
+							<span ng-hide="rec.id">the record is unreadable</span>
+						</div>
+						<div class="card-body" ng-hide="rec.id">Invalid record format</div>
+						<table class="table table-condensed table-striped small" ng-show="rec.id">
 							<tr>
 								<th class="col-xs-3">Original Id</th>
 								<td class="col-xs-9">{{rec.originalId}}</td>
@@ -147,7 +151,7 @@
 								</td>
 							</tr>
 						</table>
-						<div class="card-body">
+						<div class="card-body" ng-show="rec.id">
 							<span class="badge badge-success float-right">{{rec.encoding}}</span>
 							<br />
 							<pre class="small">{{rec.body}}</pre>