diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/repo/manager/service/aai/registry/RegistryCalls.java b/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/repo/manager/service/aai/registry/RegistryCalls.java
index b8f4811..dc7c5f1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/repo/manager/service/aai/registry/RegistryCalls.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/repo/manager/service/aai/registry/RegistryCalls.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value;
 import org.springframework.security.core.context.SecurityContextHolder;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
 
+import javax.validation.constraints.NotNull;
 import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
 import java.net.URLEncoder;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
@@ -169,15 +170,18 @@ public class RegistryCalls implements AaiRegistryService {
     @Override
     public JsonArray getRolesWithStatus(Integer coPersonId, RoleStatus status) {
         JsonArray roles = getRoles(coPersonId);
-        if (status == null) {
-            return roles;
+        if (roles == null) {
+            roles = new JsonArray();
         }
         JsonArray activeRoles = new JsonArray();
-        for (JsonElement role : roles) {
-            if (role.getAsJsonObject().get("Status").getAsString().equalsIgnoreCase(status.toString())) {
-                activeRoles.add(role);
+        if (status != null) {
+            for (JsonElement role : roles) {
+                if (role.getAsJsonObject().get("Status").getAsString().equalsIgnoreCase(status.toString())) {
+                    activeRoles.add(role);
+                }
             }
         }
+        assert activeRoles != null;
         return activeRoles;
     }