diff --git a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyTaskManager.java b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyTaskManager.java
index d64896ca4bb8..519a56396258 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyTaskManager.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudyTaskManager.java
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ public class StudyTaskManager implements PersistentStateComponent<Element>, Dumb
   private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getInstance(StudyTaskManager.class);
   public static final int CURRENT_VERSION = 5;
   private Course myCourse;
-  public int VERSION = 5;
+  public int VERSION = CURRENT_VERSION;
 
-  public Map<Task, List<UserTest>> myUserTests = new HashMap<>();
+  public final Map<Task, List<UserTest>> myUserTests = new HashMap<>();
 
   public boolean myShouldUseJavaFx = StudyUtils.hasJavaFx();
   private StudyToolWindow.StudyToolWindowMode myToolWindowMode = StudyToolWindow.StudyToolWindowMode.TEXT;
@@ -191,14 +191,18 @@ public class StudyTaskManager implements PersistentStateComponent<Element>, Dumb
 
   private void updateTestHelper() {
     StartupManager.getInstance(myProject).runWhenProjectIsInitialized(() -> ApplicationManager.getApplication().runWriteAction(() -> {
-      final VirtualFile testHelper = myProject.getBaseDir().findChild(EduNames.TEST_HELPER);
+      final VirtualFile baseDir = myProject.getBaseDir();
+      if (baseDir == null) {
+        return;
+      }
+      final VirtualFile testHelper = baseDir.findChild(EduNames.TEST_HELPER);
       if (testHelper != null) {
         StudyUtils.deleteFile(testHelper);
       }
       final FileTemplate template =
         FileTemplateManager.getInstance(myProject).getInternalTemplate(FileUtil.getNameWithoutExtension(EduNames.TEST_HELPER));
       try {
-        final PsiDirectory projectDir = PsiManager.getInstance(myProject).findDirectory(myProject.getBaseDir());
+        final PsiDirectory projectDir = PsiManager.getInstance(myProject).findDirectory(baseDir);
         if (projectDir != null) {
           FileTemplateUtil.createFromTemplate(template, EduNames.TEST_HELPER, null, projectDir);
         }
@@ -211,8 +215,9 @@ public class StudyTaskManager implements PersistentStateComponent<Element>, Dumb
 
   private void deserialize(Element state) throws StudySerializationUtils.StudyUnrecognizedFormatException {
     final Element taskManagerElement = state.getChild(StudySerializationUtils.Xml.MAIN_ELEMENT);
-    if (taskManagerElement == null)
+    if (taskManagerElement == null) {
       throw new StudySerializationUtils.StudyUnrecognizedFormatException();
+    }
     XmlSerializer.deserializeInto(this, taskManagerElement);
     final Element xmlCourse = StudySerializationUtils.Xml.getChildWithName(taskManagerElement, StudySerializationUtils.COURSE);
     final Element remoteCourseElement = xmlCourse.getChild(REMOTE_COURSE);
@@ -250,5 +255,4 @@ public class StudyTaskManager implements PersistentStateComponent<Element>, Dumb
   public void setTurnEditingMode(boolean turnEditingMode) {
     myTurnEditingMode = turnEditingMode;
   }
-
 }
diff --git a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/builtInServer/StepikRestService.java b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/builtInServer/StepikRestService.java
index 427f5c8fa5de..eadbc6fdfe10 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/builtInServer/StepikRestService.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/builtInServer/StepikRestService.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.project.ProjectManager;
 import com.intellij.platform.ProjectSetReader;
 import com.jetbrains.edu.learning.StudyTaskManager;
 import com.jetbrains.edu.learning.courseFormat.Course;
+import com.jetbrains.edu.learning.courseFormat.RemoteCourse;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandlerContext;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.FullHttpRequest;
 import io.netty.handler.codec.http.HttpMethod;
@@ -89,8 +90,8 @@ public class StepikRestService extends RestService {
     String path = urlDecoder.path();
     Matcher matcher = OPEN_COURSE.matcher(path);
     if (matcher.matches()) {
-      int course_id = Integer.parseInt(matcher.group(1));
-      LOG.info("Open course: " + course_id);
+      int targetCourseId = Integer.parseInt(matcher.group(1));
+      LOG.info("Open course: " + targetCourseId);
 
       RecentProjectsManagerBase recentProjectsManager = (RecentProjectsManagerBase)RecentProjectsManager.getInstance();
 
@@ -106,38 +107,21 @@ public class StepikRestService extends RestService {
 
       List<String> recentPaths = state.recentPaths;
 
-      LOG.info(recentPaths.toString());
-
       Project project = ProjectManager.getInstance().getDefaultProject();
       StudyTaskManager taskManager = new StudyTaskManager(project);
-
       SAXBuilder parser = new SAXBuilder();
-      Document xmlDoc;
 
       for (String projectPath : recentPaths) {
-        try {
-          String studyProjectXML = projectPath + STUDY_PROJECT_XML_PATH;
-          xmlDoc = parser.build(new File(studyProjectXML));
-          Element root = xmlDoc.getRootElement();
-          Element component = root.getChild("component");
-          if (component == null) {
-            continue;
-          }
-
-          taskManager.loadState(component);
-          Course course = taskManager.getCourse();
-
-          if (course == null) {
-            continue;
-          }
-
-          if (course.getId() == course_id) {
-            openProject(projectPath);
-            RestService.sendOk(request, context);
-            return null;
-          }
+        Element component = readComponent(parser, projectPath);
+        if (component == null) {
+          continue;
         }
-        catch (JDOMException | IllegalStateException | IOException ignored) {
+        int courseId = getCourseId(taskManager, component);
+
+        if (courseId == targetCourseId) {
+          openProject(projectPath);
+          RestService.sendOk(request, context);
+          return null;
         }
       }
     }
@@ -145,4 +129,33 @@ public class StepikRestService extends RestService {
     RestService.sendStatus(HttpResponseStatus.NOT_FOUND, false, context.channel());
     return "Unknown command";
   }
+
+  @Nullable
+  private static Element readComponent(@NotNull SAXBuilder parser, @NotNull String projectPath) {
+    Element component = null;
+    try {
+      String studyProjectXML = projectPath + STUDY_PROJECT_XML_PATH;
+      Document xmlDoc = parser.build(new File(studyProjectXML));
+      Element root = xmlDoc.getRootElement();
+      component = root.getChild("component");
+    }
+    catch (JDOMException | IOException ignored) {
+    }
+
+    return component;
+  }
+
+  private static int getCourseId(@NotNull StudyTaskManager taskManager, @NotNull Element component) {
+    try {
+      taskManager.loadState(component);
+      Course course = taskManager.getCourse();
+
+      if ((course instanceof RemoteCourse)) {
+        return ((RemoteCourse)course).getId();
+      }
+    }
+    catch (IllegalStateException ignored) {
+    }
+    return 0;
+  }
 }