diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/impl/OrganizationManagerImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/impl/OrganizationManagerImpl.java
index 109323a..504e55b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/impl/OrganizationManagerImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/impl/OrganizationManagerImpl.java
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ public class OrganizationManagerImpl extends OrganizationsUtil implements Organi
 			return true;
 		}
 		try {
+
 			long companyId = OrganizationsUtil.getCompany().getCompanyId();
 			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission");
 			User user = UserLocalServiceUtil.getUserByScreenName(companyId, ScopeHelper.getAdministratorUsername());
@@ -284,11 +285,18 @@ public class OrganizationManagerImpl extends OrganizationsUtil implements Organi
 			PermissionThreadLocal.setPermissionChecker(permissionChecker);
 			_log.trace("Setting Permission ok!");
 
-			String currVal = (String) currOrg.getExpandoBridge().getAttribute(attrToCheck);
-			isEnabled = (currVal.compareTo("true") == 0);			
-
-			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission back to regular");		
 			User currentUser = OrganizationsUtil.validateUser(username);
+			if (currOrg.getExpandoBridge().getAttribute(attrToCheck) == null || currOrg.getExpandoBridge().getAttribute(attrToCheck).equals("")) {
+				_log.trace("Attribute " + attrToCheck + " must be initialized");
+				setOrgCustomAttribute(username, currOrg, attrToCheck);
+				isEnabled = true;
+			}
+			else {
+				String currVal = (String) currOrg.getExpandoBridge().getAttribute(attrToCheck);
+				isEnabled = (currVal.compareTo("true") == 0);
+			}
+
+			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission back to regular");			
 			permissionChecker = PermissionCheckerFactoryUtil.create(currentUser, false);
 			PermissionThreadLocal.setPermissionChecker(permissionChecker);
 			_log.trace("Setting Permission ok! returning ...");
@@ -304,4 +312,43 @@ public class OrganizationManagerImpl extends OrganizationsUtil implements Organi
 			return false;
 		}
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * 
+	 * @param username
+	 * @param attribute2Set
+	 */
+	private void setOrgCustomAttribute(String username,  Organization currOrg, String attribute2Set) {
+		User currUser = null;
+		if (username.compareTo("test.user") == 0) {
+			_log.warn("Found Test User, returning ... ");
+			return;
+		}
+		try {
+			long companyId = OrganizationsUtil.getCompany().getCompanyId();
+			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission");
+			User user = UserLocalServiceUtil.getUserByScreenName(companyId, ScopeHelper.getAdministratorUsername());
+			PermissionChecker permissionChecker = PermissionCheckerFactoryUtil.create(user, false);
+			PermissionThreadLocal.setPermissionChecker(permissionChecker);
+			_log.trace("Setting Permission ok!");
+
+			_log.debug("Creating and Setting custom attribute for colName " + attribute2Set + " to " +true);
+			//add the custom attrs
+			currUser = UserLocalServiceUtil.getUserByScreenName(companyId, username);
+
+			if (! currOrg.getExpandoBridge().hasAttribute(attribute2Set)) 	
+				currOrg.getExpandoBridge().addAttribute(attribute2Set);
+
+			currOrg.getExpandoBridge().setAttribute(attribute2Set, "true");
+			_log.trace("setAttribute true");
+
+
+			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission back to regular");
+			permissionChecker = PermissionCheckerFactoryUtil.create(currUser, false);
+			PermissionThreadLocal.setPermissionChecker(permissionChecker);
+		}
+		catch (Exception e) {
+			e.printStackTrace();
+		} 
+	}
 }