diff --git a/services/contest_service_facade/src/java/main/com/topcoder/service/facade/contest/ejb/ContestServiceFacadeBean.java b/services/contest_service_facade/src/java/main/com/topcoder/service/facade/contest/ejb/ContestServiceFacadeBean.java
index daaacc1f5..de0fb86e7 100644
--- a/services/contest_service_facade/src/java/main/com/topcoder/service/facade/contest/ejb/ContestServiceFacadeBean.java
+++ b/services/contest_service_facade/src/java/main/com/topcoder/service/facade/contest/ejb/ContestServiceFacadeBean.java
@@ -5959,7 +5959,7 @@ public SoftwareCompetition getSoftwareContestByProjectId(TCSubject tcSubject, lo
             try {
                 Client client = projectService.getClientByProject(fullProjectData.getProjectHeader().getTcDirectProjectId());
                 if (client != null) {
-                    effortHoursEnabled = client.isEffortHoursEnabled();
+                    effortHoursEnabled = client.isEffortHoursEnabled() == null ? false : client.isEffortHoursEnabled();
                 }
 
             } catch (PersistenceFault e) {