diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/hbp/mip/controllers/ModelsApi.java b/src/main/java/eu/hbp/mip/controllers/ModelsApi.java
index 9000271a9dfa9f0624ea3e26cc310c84a34279c0..c3d1de874308576c07f27304e167f56a85bc6605 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/hbp/mip/controllers/ModelsApi.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/hbp/mip/controllers/ModelsApi.java
@@ -135,7 +135,9 @@ public class ModelsApi {
 
         configRepository.save(model.getConfig());
         queryRepository.save(model.getQuery());
-        datasetRepository.save(model.getDataset());
+        if (model.getDataset() != null) {
+            datasetRepository.save(model.getDataset());
+        }
         modelRepository.save(model);
 
         LOGGER.info("Model saved (also saved model.config and model.query)");