diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index cc20fc041..16d295207 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ Change Log
 * Minor fix to misc_utils.to_integer to handle float strings.
 * Minor fix to structured_data to accumulate unique resolved_refs across schemas.
 * Changes to structured_data to respect uniqueItems for arrays.
+* Handle no schemas better in structured_data.
+* Added portal_utils.Portal.ping().
+* Minor fix in portal_utils.Portal._uri().
 
 
 8.5.0
diff --git a/dcicutils/portal_utils.py b/dcicutils/portal_utils.py
index 82a34f574..33cf7eb87 100644
--- a/dcicutils/portal_utils.py
+++ b/dcicutils/portal_utils.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ def __init__(self,
             self._server = portal._server
             self._key = portal._key
             self._key_pair = portal._key_pair
+            self._key_id = portal._key_id
             self._key_file = portal._key_file
             return
         self._vapp = None
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ def __init__(self,
         self._server = server
         self._key = None
         self._key_pair = None
+        self._key_id = None
         self._key_file = None
         if isinstance(portal, (VirtualApp, TestApp)):
             self._vapp = portal
@@ -95,6 +97,10 @@ def __init__(self,
                 self._key = key_manager.get_keydict_for_server(self._server)
             self._key_pair = key_manager.keydict_to_keypair(self._key) if self._key else None
             self._key_file = key_manager.keys_file
+        if self._key and (key_id := self._key.get("key")):
+            self._key_id = key_id
+        elif self._key_pair and (key_id := self._key_pair[1]):
+            self._key_id = key_id
 
     @property
     def env(self):
@@ -116,6 +122,10 @@ def key(self):
     def key_pair(self):
         return self._key_pair
 
+    @property
+    def key_id(self):
+        return self._key_id
+
     @property
     def key_file(self):
         return self._key_file
@@ -206,13 +216,19 @@ def breadth_first(super_type_map: dict, super_type_name: str) -> dict:
             super_type_map_flattened[super_type_name] = breadth_first(super_type_map, super_type_name)
         return super_type_map_flattened
 
+    def ping(self) -> bool:
+        try:
+            return self.get("/health").status_code == 200
+        except Exception:
+            return False
+
     def _uri(self, uri: str) -> str:
         if not isinstance(uri, str) or not uri:
             return "/"
         if uri.lower().startswith("http://") or uri.lower().startswith("https://"):
             return uri
         uri = re.sub(r"/+", "/", uri)
-        return (self._server + ("/" if uri.startswith("/") else "") + uri) if self._server else uri
+        return (self._server + ("/" if not uri.startswith("/") else "") + uri) if self._server else uri
 
     def _kwargs(self, **kwargs) -> dict:
         result_kwargs = {"headers":
diff --git a/dcicutils/structured_data.py b/dcicutils/structured_data.py
index 71400929a..ef309e921 100644
--- a/dcicutils/structured_data.py
+++ b/dcicutils/structured_data.py
@@ -317,7 +317,8 @@ def __init__(self, schema_json: dict, portal: Optional[Portal] = None) -> None:
 
     @staticmethod
     def load_by_name(name: str, portal: Portal) -> Optional[dict]:
-        return Schema(portal.get_schema(Schema.type_name(name)), portal) if portal else None
+        schema_json = portal.get_schema(Schema.type_name(name)) if portal else None
+        return Schema(schema_json, portal) if schema_json else None
 
     def validate(self, data: dict) -> List[str]:
         errors = []
@@ -565,7 +566,9 @@ def get_metadata(self, object_name: str) -> Optional[dict]:
 
     @lru_cache(maxsize=256)
     def get_schema(self, schema_name: str) -> Optional[dict]:
-        if (schemas := self.get_schemas()) and (schema := schemas.get(schema_name := Schema.type_name(schema_name))):
+        if not (schemas := self.get_schemas()):
+            return None
+        if schema := schemas.get(schema_name := Schema.type_name(schema_name)):
             return schema
         if schema_name == schema_name.upper() and (schema := schemas.get(schema_name.lower().title())):
             return schema
@@ -573,8 +576,9 @@ def get_schema(self, schema_name: str) -> Optional[dict]:
             return schema
 
     @lru_cache(maxsize=1)
-    def get_schemas(self) -> dict:
-        schemas = super().get_schemas()
+    def get_schemas(self) -> Optional[dict]:
+        if not (schemas := super().get_schemas()) or (schemas.get("status") == "error"):
+            return None
         if self._schemas:
             schemas = copy.deepcopy(schemas)
             for user_specified_schema in self._schemas:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index cbc4d28dc..0ba2fb089 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "dcicutils"
-version = "8.5.0.1b2"  # TODO: To become 8.6.0
+version = "8.5.0.1b3"  # TODO: To become 8.6.0
 description = "Utility package for interacting with the 4DN Data Portal and other 4DN resources"
 authors = ["4DN-DCIC Team <support@4dnucleome.org>"]
 license = "MIT"