diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rciam/plugins/groups/jpa/repositories/MemberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository.java b/src/main/java/org/rciam/plugins/groups/jpa/repositories/MemberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository.java
index 7d088d0..4cfe18d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rciam/plugins/groups/jpa/repositories/MemberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rciam/plugins/groups/jpa/repositories/MemberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ public MemberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository(KeycloakSession session) {
     }
 
     public MemberUserAttributeConfigurationEntity getByRealm(String realmId){
-        return em.createNamedQuery("getConfigurationByRealm", MemberUserAttributeConfigurationEntity.class).setParameter("realmId",realmId).getResultStream().findAny().orElse(null);
+        return em.createNamedQuery("getConfigurationByRealm", MemberUserAttributeConfigurationEntity.class).setParameter("realmId",realmId).getResultStream().findAny().orElse(new MemberUserAttributeConfigurationEntity());
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/rciam/plugins/groups/scheduled/StartUpTasks.java b/src/main/java/org/rciam/plugins/groups/scheduled/StartUpTasks.java
index ea18d27..0c90881 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/rciam/plugins/groups/scheduled/StartUpTasks.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/rciam/plugins/groups/scheduled/StartUpTasks.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public void run(KeycloakSession session) {
             MemberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository memberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository = new MemberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository(session);
             repository.dailyExecutedActions(session);
             //create default eduPersonEntitlement configuration entity if not exist
-            if (memberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository.getByRealm(realm.getId()) == null) {
+            if (memberUserAttributeConfigurationRepository.getByRealm(realm.getId()).getId() == null) {
                 MemberUserAttributeConfigurationEntity configurationEntity = new MemberUserAttributeConfigurationEntity();
                 configurationEntity.setId(KeycloakModelUtils.generateId());
                 configurationEntity.setUserAttribute("eduPersonEntitlement");