diff --git a/scripts/startServer.sh b/scripts/startServer.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index d5ad099..0000000
--- a/scripts/startServer.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -x
-cd ../
-./gradlew bootrun
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/openaire/urls_worker/plugins/PublicationsRetrieverPlugin.java b/src/main/java/eu/openaire/urls_worker/plugins/PublicationsRetrieverPlugin.java
index b492eeb..c6b416a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/openaire/urls_worker/plugins/PublicationsRetrieverPlugin.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/openaire/urls_worker/plugins/PublicationsRetrieverPlugin.java
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import eu.openaire.publications_retriever.util.url.DataToBeLogged;
 import eu.openaire.publications_retriever.util.url.LoaderAndChecker;
 import eu.openaire.publications_retriever.util.url.UrlUtils;
 import eu.openaire.urls_worker.UrlsWorkerApplication;
-import eu.openaire.urls_worker.components.ScheduledTasks;
 import eu.openaire.urls_worker.models.Assignment;
 import eu.openaire.urls_worker.models.Error;
 import eu.openaire.urls_worker.models.Payload;
@@ -87,6 +86,13 @@ public class PublicationsRetrieverPlugin {
                 String id = assignment.getId();
                 String url = assignment.getOriginalUrl();
 
+                if ( (id == null) || id.isEmpty() || (url == null) || url.isEmpty() ) {
+                    String errorMsg = "Got null or empty pair! ID=" + id + " , url=" + url;
+                    logger.warn(errorMsg);
+                    UrlUtils.logOutputData(id, url, null, "unreachable", "Discarded at loading time, due to input problems. " + errorMsg, null, true, "true", "false", "false", "false", "false", null, null);
+                    return false;
+                }
+
                 if ( (url = LoaderAndChecker.handleUrlChecks(id, url)) == null ) {
                     return false;
                 }    // The "url" might have changed (inside "handleUrlChecks()").