diff --git a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudySubtaskUtils.java b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudySubtaskUtils.java
index 05cbee659ad3..518a837eb023 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudySubtaskUtils.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/StudySubtaskUtils.java
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ public class StudySubtaskUtils {
   }
 
   public static void updateUI(@NotNull Project project, @NotNull Task task, VirtualFile taskDir) {
-    StudyCheckUtils.drawAllPlaceholders(project, task, taskDir);
+    StudyCheckUtils.drawAllPlaceholders(project, task);
     ProjectView.getInstance(project).refresh();
     StudyToolWindow toolWindow = StudyUtils.getStudyToolWindow(project);
     if (toolWindow != null) {
diff --git a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/checker/StudyCheckTask.java b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/checker/StudyCheckTask.java
index 15cef49780fd..99d0bc7293bd 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/checker/StudyCheckTask.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/checker/StudyCheckTask.java
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public class StudyCheckTask extends com.intellij.openapi.progress.Task.Backgroun
   @Override
   public void onSuccess() {
     StudyUtils.updateToolWindows(myProject);
-    StudyCheckUtils.drawAllPlaceholders(myProject, myTask, myTaskDir);
+    StudyCheckUtils.drawAllPlaceholders(myProject, myTask);
     ProjectView.getInstance(myProject).refresh();
     clearState();
   }
diff --git a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/checker/StudyCheckUtils.java b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/checker/StudyCheckUtils.java
index b214d2eeb4e4..9ce7174edd7f 100644
--- a/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/checker/StudyCheckUtils.java
+++ b/python/educational-core/student/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/checker/StudyCheckUtils.java
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ public class StudyCheckUtils {
   private StudyCheckUtils() {
   }
 
-  public static void drawAllPlaceholders(@NotNull final Project project, @NotNull final Task task, @NotNull final VirtualFile taskDir) {
+  public static void drawAllPlaceholders(@NotNull final Project project, @NotNull final Task task) {
+    VirtualFile taskDir = task.getTaskDir(project);
+    if (taskDir == null) {
+      return;
+    }
     for (Map.Entry<String, TaskFile> entry : task.getTaskFiles().entrySet()) {
       String name = entry.getKey();
       TaskFile taskFile = entry.getValue();