diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-apollo.yml b/.github/workflows/python-apollo.yml
index c33a4c910..cec91ab74 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-apollo.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-apollo.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ jobs:
   test-python-apollo:
     name: test-python-apollo
 
-    runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
         python-version: [3.9]
diff --git a/grails-app/controllers/org/bbop/apollo/UserController.groovy b/grails-app/controllers/org/bbop/apollo/UserController.groovy
index fb4006b72..e9c5ab517 100644
--- a/grails-app/controllers/org/bbop/apollo/UserController.groovy
+++ b/grails-app/controllers/org/bbop/apollo/UserController.groovy
@@ -295,9 +295,11 @@ class UserController {
 
             UserOrganismPreference uop = preferenceService.getCurrentOrganismPreferenceInDB(dataObject.getString(FeatureStringEnum.CLIENT_TOKEN.value))
 
-            uop.nativeTrackList = dataObject.get("tracklist")
-            uop.save(flush: true)
-            log.info "Added userOrganismPreference ${uop.nativeTrackList}"
+            if (uop){
+                uop.nativeTrackList = dataObject.get("tracklist")
+                uop.save(flush: true)
+                log.info "Added userOrganismPreference ${uop.nativeTrackList}"
+            }
             render new JSONObject() as JSON
         }
         catch (Exception e) {
diff --git a/grails-app/services/org/bbop/apollo/PermissionService.groovy b/grails-app/services/org/bbop/apollo/PermissionService.groovy
index a53a80b87..ac9399590 100644
--- a/grails-app/services/org/bbop/apollo/PermissionService.groovy
+++ b/grails-app/services/org/bbop/apollo/PermissionService.groovy
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ class PermissionService {
             organism = organism ?: preferenceService.getCurrentOrganismPreferenceInDB(clientToken)?.organism
         }
         // don't set the preferences if it is coming off a script
-        if (clientToken != FeatureStringEnum.IGNORE.value) {
+        if (clientToken != FeatureStringEnum.IGNORE.value && organism) {
             preferenceService.setCurrentOrganism(getCurrentUser(), organism, clientToken)
         }
         if(organism){
diff --git a/grails-app/services/org/bbop/apollo/PreferenceService.groovy b/grails-app/services/org/bbop/apollo/PreferenceService.groovy
index cf5678a92..758a35099 100644
--- a/grails-app/services/org/bbop/apollo/PreferenceService.groovy
+++ b/grails-app/services/org/bbop/apollo/PreferenceService.groovy
@@ -617,7 +617,11 @@ class PreferenceService {
         UserOrganismPreferenceDTO preference = getSessionPreference(clientToken)
         preference = preference ?: getSavingPreferences(user, sequenceName, clientToken)
         log.debug "found in-memory preference: ${preference ? preference as JSON : null}"
-        return preference ?: getDTOFromPreference(getCurrentOrganismPreferenceInDB(user, sequenceName, clientToken))
+        UserOrganismPreference pref = getCurrentOrganismPreferenceInDB(user, sequenceName, clientToken)
+        if (pref) {
+            return getDTOFromPreference(pref)
+        }
+        return preference
     }
 
     def getSavingPreferences(User user, String sequenceName, String clientToken) {
@@ -700,7 +704,8 @@ class PreferenceService {
                 organism = Organism.first()
             }
             if (!organism) {
-                throw new PermissionException("User does not have permission for any organisms.")
+                log.warn("Not able to get organism preference")
+                return null
             }
 
 //            sequence = sequence ?: Sequence.findByOrganism(organism, [sort: "end", order: "desc", max: 1])