diff --git a/connect/community/CustomizationOptions.ts b/connect/community/CustomizationOptions.ts
index 4c154051..5494191f 100644
--- a/connect/community/CustomizationOptions.ts
+++ b/connect/community/CustomizationOptions.ts
@@ -156,39 +156,43 @@ export class CustomizationOptions {
   public static checkForObsoleteVersion(current:CustomizationOptions, communityId:string){
     let defaultCO = new CustomizationOptions(CustomizationOptions.getIdentity(communityId).mainColor,CustomizationOptions.getIdentity(communityId).secondaryColor);
     let updated = Object.assign({}, defaultCO);
-    if(current.identity && current.identity.mainColor && current.identity.secondaryColor ) {
-       updated = new CustomizationOptions(current.identity.mainColor, current.identity.secondaryColor);
-    }
-    if(!current.backgrounds){
-      current.backgrounds = Object.assign({}, updated.backgrounds);
-    }
-    if(!current.backgrounds.dark){
-      current.backgrounds.dark = Object.assign({}, updated.backgrounds.dark);
-    }
-    if(!current.backgrounds.light){
-      current.backgrounds.light = Object.assign({}, updated.backgrounds.light);
-    }
-    if(!current.backgrounds.form){
-      current.backgrounds.form = Object.assign({}, updated.backgrounds.form);
-    }
-    if(!current.backgrounds.form.position){
-      current.backgrounds.form.position = "center bottom"
-    }
-    if(!current.buttons){
-      current.buttons = Object.assign({}, updated.buttons);
-    }
-    if(!current.buttons.darkBackground){
-      current.buttons.darkBackground = Object.assign({}, updated.buttons.darkBackground);
-    }
-    if(!current.buttons.lightBackground){
-      current.buttons.lightBackground = Object.assign({}, updated.buttons.lightBackground);
-    }
-    if(!current.hasOwnProperty('identityIsCustom')){
-      current.identityIsCustom = (JSON.stringify(current.identity) != JSON.stringify(defaultCO.identity));
-    }
-    if(!current.hasOwnProperty('backgroundsAndButtonsIsCustom') || (!current.hasOwnProperty('backgroundsIsCustom') || (!current.hasOwnProperty('buttonsIsCustom')))){
-      current.identityIsCustom = (JSON.stringify(current.backgrounds) !=
-        JSON.stringify(updated.backgrounds) || JSON.stringify(current.buttons) != JSON.stringify(updated.buttons)) ;
+    if(!current){
+      current = Object.assign({}, defaultCO);
+    }else {
+      if (current.identity && current.identity.mainColor && current.identity.secondaryColor) {
+        updated = new CustomizationOptions(current.identity.mainColor, current.identity.secondaryColor);
+      }
+      if (!current.backgrounds) {
+        current.backgrounds = Object.assign({}, updated.backgrounds);
+      }
+      if (!current.backgrounds.dark) {
+        current.backgrounds.dark = Object.assign({}, updated.backgrounds.dark);
+      }
+      if (!current.backgrounds.light) {
+        current.backgrounds.light = Object.assign({}, updated.backgrounds.light);
+      }
+      if (!current.backgrounds.form) {
+        current.backgrounds.form = Object.assign({}, updated.backgrounds.form);
+      }
+      if (!current.backgrounds.form.position) {
+        current.backgrounds.form.position = "center bottom"
+      }
+      if (!current.buttons) {
+        current.buttons = Object.assign({}, updated.buttons);
+      }
+      if (!current.buttons.darkBackground) {
+        current.buttons.darkBackground = Object.assign({}, updated.buttons.darkBackground);
+      }
+      if (!current.buttons.lightBackground) {
+        current.buttons.lightBackground = Object.assign({}, updated.buttons.lightBackground);
+      }
+      if (!current.hasOwnProperty('identityIsCustom')) {
+        current.identityIsCustom = (JSON.stringify(current.identity) != JSON.stringify(defaultCO.identity));
+      }
+      if (!current.hasOwnProperty('backgroundsAndButtonsIsCustom') || (!current.hasOwnProperty('backgroundsIsCustom') || (!current.hasOwnProperty('buttonsIsCustom')))) {
+        current.identityIsCustom = (JSON.stringify(current.backgrounds) !=
+          JSON.stringify(updated.backgrounds) || JSON.stringify(current.buttons) != JSON.stringify(updated.buttons));
+      }
     }
     return current;
 
diff --git a/utils/properties/env-properties.ts b/utils/properties/env-properties.ts
index e720bf08..2c439aa9 100644
--- a/utils/properties/env-properties.ts
+++ b/utils/properties/env-properties.ts
@@ -140,6 +140,5 @@ export interface EnvProperties {
   myOrcidLinksPage?: string;
   footerGrantText?: string;
   egiNotebookLink?: string;
-  portalBuildTime?;
   connectPortalUrl?;
 }