diff --git a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/core/EduUtils.java b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/core/EduUtils.java
index 499b25f13492..2beea69c8805 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/core/EduUtils.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/core/EduUtils.java
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
 import java.io.FileOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.PrintWriter;
-import java.util.*;
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.Comparator;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 public class EduUtils {
   private EduUtils() {
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ public class EduUtils {
 
   private static final Logger LOG = Logger.getInstance(EduUtils.class.getName());
 
-  public static final Comparator<StudyItem> INDEX_COMPARATOR = (o1, o2) -> o1.getIndex() - o2.getIndex();
+  public static final Comparator<StudyItem> INDEX_COMPARATOR = Comparator.comparingInt(StudyItem::getIndex);
 
   public static void enableAction(@NotNull final AnActionEvent event, boolean isEnable) {
     final Presentation presentation = event.getPresentation();
diff --git a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/stepic/EduAdaptiveStepicConnector.java b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/stepic/EduAdaptiveStepicConnector.java
index 1518ee9bd75e..6466cabcfb04 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/stepic/EduAdaptiveStepicConnector.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/stepic/EduAdaptiveStepicConnector.java
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ public class EduAdaptiveStepicConnector {
         final VirtualFile taskDir = VfsUtil
           .findFileByIoFile(new File(lessonDir.getCanonicalPath(), EduNames.TASK + unsolvedTask.getIndex()), true);
         final File resourceRoot = new File(course.getCourseDirectory(), lessonDir.getName());
-        File newResourceRoot = null;
+        File newResourceRoot;
         if (taskDir != null) {
           newResourceRoot = new File(resourceRoot, taskDir.getName());
           File[] filesInTask = newResourceRoot.listFiles();
diff --git a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/ui/StudyNewProjectPanel.java b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/ui/StudyNewProjectPanel.java
index 7029f9eac4f9..f177d9d688dc 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/ui/StudyNewProjectPanel.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/ui/StudyNewProjectPanel.java
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ public class StudyNewProjectPanel extends JPanel implements PanelWithAnchor {
     else {
       addCoursesToCombobox(myAvailableCourses);
       final CourseInfo selectedCourse = StudyUtils.getFirst(myAvailableCourses);
+      if (selectedCourse == null) return;
       final String authorsString = Course.getAuthorsString(selectedCourse.getAuthors());
       myAuthorLabel.setText(!StringUtil.isEmptyOrSpaces(authorsString) ? "Author: " + authorsString : "");
       myDescriptionPane.setText(selectedCourse.getDescription());
@@ -270,7 +271,9 @@ public class StudyNewProjectPanel extends JPanel implements PanelWithAnchor {
     myCoursesComboBox.removeAllItems();
 
     addCoursesToCombobox(courses);
-    myGenerator.setSelectedCourse(StudyUtils.getFirst(courses));
+    final CourseInfo selectedCourse = StudyUtils.getFirst(courses);
+    if (selectedCourse == null) return;
+    myGenerator.setSelectedCourse(selectedCourse);
 
     myGenerator.setCourses(courses);
     myAvailableCourses = courses;