diff --git a/python/educational/interactive-learning/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/courseGeneration/StudyProjectGenerator.java b/python/educational/interactive-learning/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/courseGeneration/StudyProjectGenerator.java
index 3fd3d5a15c3a..1b0b8b40c898 100644
--- a/python/educational/interactive-learning/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/courseGeneration/StudyProjectGenerator.java
+++ b/python/educational/interactive-learning/src/com/jetbrains/edu/learning/courseGeneration/StudyProjectGenerator.java
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.PathManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.diagnostic.Logger;
 import com.intellij.openapi.fileEditor.FileEditorManager;
+import com.intellij.openapi.progress.ProgressIndicator;
+import com.intellij.openapi.progress.ProgressManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.DumbModePermission;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.DumbService;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
@@ -63,7 +65,21 @@ public class StudyProjectGenerator {
   }
 
   public void generateProject(@NotNull final Project project, @NotNull final VirtualFile baseDir) {
-    final Course course = getCourse();
+    final Course course;
+    try {
+      course =
+        ProgressManager.getInstance().run(new com.intellij.openapi.progress.Task.WithResult<Course, Exception>(project, "Creating Course", false) {
+          @Override
+          protected Course compute(@NotNull ProgressIndicator indicator) throws Exception {
+            return getCourse();
+          }
+        });
+    }
+    catch (Exception e) {
+      LOG.error("Failed to obtain course " + e.getMessage());
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (course == null) return;
     StudyTaskManager.getInstance(project).setCourse(course);
     ApplicationManager.getApplication().invokeLater(
diff --git a/python/educational/src/com/jetbrains/edu/stepic/EduStepicConnector.java b/python/educational/src/com/jetbrains/edu/stepic/EduStepicConnector.java
index fe744d79dd39..851fd88a81be 100644
--- a/python/educational/src/com/jetbrains/edu/stepic/EduStepicConnector.java
+++ b/python/educational/src/com/jetbrains/edu/stepic/EduStepicConnector.java
@@ -279,20 +279,20 @@ public class EduStepicConnector {
       int lessonID = unit.units.get(0).lesson;
       LessonContainer lesson = getFromStepic("lessons/" + String.valueOf(lessonID), LessonContainer.class);
       Lesson realLesson = lesson.lessons.get(0);
-      lessons.add(realLesson);
+      realLesson.taskList = new ArrayList<Task>();
+      for (Integer s : realLesson.steps) {
+        createTask(realLesson, s);
+      }
+      if (!realLesson.taskList.isEmpty())
+        lessons.add(realLesson);
     }
 
-    for (Lesson lesson : lessons) {
-      lesson.taskList = new ArrayList<Task>();
-      for (Integer s : lesson.steps) {
-        createTask(lesson, s);
-      }
-    }
     return lessons;
   }
 
   private static void createTask(Lesson lesson, Integer stepicId) throws IOException {
     final Step step = getStep(stepicId);
+    if (!step.name.equals(PYCHARM_PREFIX)) return;
     final Task task = new Task();
     task.setStepicId(stepicId);
     task.setName(step.options != null ? step.options.title : PYCHARM_PREFIX);