diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portets/user/message_conversations/server/ConvServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portets/user/message_conversations/server/ConvServiceImpl.java
index 08bb1b5..224a2e3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portets/user/message_conversations/server/ConvServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portets/user/message_conversations/server/ConvServiceImpl.java
@@ -122,75 +122,75 @@ public class ConvServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements MessageServ
 				return null;
 			}
 			List<WorkspaceMessage> listMessages = null;
-			try {
-				listMessages = (sent) ? 
-						workspace.getWorkspaceMessageManager().getSentMessages() : workspace.getWorkspaceMessageManager().getReceivedMessages();
-			} catch (Exception e) {
-				_log.error("Could not read messages of " + user.getFullname());
-				return null;
-			}
-			_log.debug("Got messages of " + user.getFullname() + " how many? " + listMessages.size());
-			//the messages are returned from the oldest to the new one, so we reverse them
-			Collections.reverse(listMessages);
-			LiferayUserManager um = new LiferayUserManager();
 
-			for (WorkspaceMessage m : listMessages) {
-				String previewBody = m.getBody().length() > 80 ? m.getBody().substring(0, 79) + " ..." : m.getBody();
-				MessageUserModel mu = null;
-				GCubeUser sender = null;
-				try {
-					if (sent) {
-						if (m.getAddresses().size() < 2) {
-							GCubeUser recipient = um.getUserByUsername(m.getAddresses().get(0));
-							mu = new MessageUserModel(recipient.getUserId(), recipient.getUsername(), recipient.getFullname(), recipient.getUserAvatarURL(), "", "");
-						} else {
-							//we have at least 2 recipients 
-							GCubeUser recipient1 = um.getUserByUsername(m.getAddresses().get(0));
-							GCubeUser recipient2 = um.getUserByUsername(m.getAddresses().get(1));
-							String label2Display = recipient1.getFirstName() + " & " + recipient2.getFirstName();
-							if (m.getAddresses().size() > 2) 
-								label2Display += " & ...";
-							mu = new MessageUserModel(recipient1.getUserId(), recipient1.getUsername(), label2Display, null, "", "");
+			listMessages = (sent) ? 
+					workspace.getWorkspaceMessageManager().getSentMessages() : workspace.getWorkspaceMessageManager().getReceivedMessages();
+					if (listMessages == null) {
+						_log.error("listMessages is null, Could not read messages of " + user.getFullname());
+						return null;
+					}
+					_log.debug("Got messages of " + user.getFullname() + " how many? " + listMessages.size());
+					//the messages are returned from the oldest to the new one, so we reverse them
+					Collections.reverse(listMessages);
+					LiferayUserManager um = new LiferayUserManager();
 
+					for (WorkspaceMessage m : listMessages) {
+						String previewBody = m.getBody().length() > 80 ? m.getBody().substring(0, 79) + " ..." : m.getBody();
+						MessageUserModel mu = null;
+						GCubeUser sender = null;
+						try {
+							if (sent) {
+								if (m.getAddresses().size() < 2) {
+									GCubeUser recipient = um.getUserByUsername(m.getAddresses().get(0));
+									mu = new MessageUserModel(recipient.getUserId(), recipient.getUsername(), recipient.getFullname(), recipient.getUserAvatarURL(), "", "");
+								} else {
+									//we have at least 2 recipients 
+									GCubeUser recipient1 = um.getUserByUsername(m.getAddresses().get(0));
+									GCubeUser recipient2 = um.getUserByUsername(m.getAddresses().get(1));
+									String label2Display = recipient1.getFirstName() + " & " + recipient2.getFirstName();
+									if (m.getAddresses().size() > 2) 
+										label2Display += " & ...";
+									mu = new MessageUserModel(recipient1.getUserId(), recipient1.getUsername(), label2Display, null, "", "");
+
+								}
+							} else { //received message
+								sender = um.getUserByUsername(m.getSender().getPortalLogin());
+								mu = new MessageUserModel(sender.getUserId(), sender.getUsername(), sender.getFullname(), sender.getUserAvatarURL(), "", "");
+							}
+						} catch (Exception ex) {
+							if (!sent) {
+								mu = new MessageUserModel(m.getSender().getPortalLogin());
+							} else {
+								mu = new MessageUserModel(m.getAddresses().get(0));
+							}
 						}
-					} else { //received message
-						sender = um.getUserByUsername(m.getSender().getPortalLogin());
-						mu = new MessageUserModel(sender.getUserId(), sender.getUsername(), sender.getFullname(), sender.getUserAvatarURL(), "", "");
-					}
-				} catch (Exception ex) {
-					if (!sent) {
-						mu = new MessageUserModel(m.getSender().getPortalLogin());
-					} else {
-						mu = new MessageUserModel(m.getAddresses().get(0));
-					}
-				}
-				boolean hasAttachments = !m.getAttachmentsIds().isEmpty();
-				if (!sent) { //received messages
+						boolean hasAttachments = !m.getAttachmentsIds().isEmpty();
+						if (!sent) { //received messages
 
-					toReturn.add(new ConvMessage(
-							m.getId(), 
-							m.getSubject(), 
-							mu, 
-							new Date(m.getSendTime().getTimeInMillis()), 
-							previewBody, 
-							m.isRead(),
-							hasAttachments));
-				} else { //sent messages
-					ArrayList<MessageUserModel> recipients = new ArrayList<>();
-					for (String rec : m.getAddresses()) {
-						recipients.add(new MessageUserModel(rec));
+							toReturn.add(new ConvMessage(
+									m.getId(), 
+									m.getSubject(), 
+									mu, 
+									new Date(m.getSendTime().getTimeInMillis()), 
+									previewBody, 
+									m.isRead(),
+									hasAttachments));
+						} else { //sent messages
+							ArrayList<MessageUserModel> recipients = new ArrayList<>();
+							for (String rec : m.getAddresses()) {
+								recipients.add(new MessageUserModel(rec));
+							}
+							toReturn.add(new ConvMessage(
+									m.getId(), 
+									m.getSubject(), 
+									mu, 
+									recipients,
+									new Date(m.getSendTime().getTimeInMillis()), 
+									previewBody, 
+									m.isRead(),
+									hasAttachments));
+						}
 					}
-					toReturn.add(new ConvMessage(
-							m.getId(), 
-							m.getSubject(), 
-							mu, 
-							recipients,
-							new Date(m.getSendTime().getTimeInMillis()), 
-							previewBody, 
-							m.isRead(),
-							hasAttachments));
-				}
-			}
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			e.printStackTrace();
 			return null;