diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/dao/impl/ExamRecordDAO.java b/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/dao/impl/ExamRecordDAO.java
index e9101847..505a2077 100644
--- a/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/dao/impl/ExamRecordDAO.java
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/dao/impl/ExamRecordDAO.java
@@ -409,18 +409,28 @@ public class ExamRecordDAO {
         return Result.tryCatch(() -> {
 
             // fist check if it is not already existing
-            final List<ExamRecord> records = this.examRecordMapper.selectByExample()
-                    .where(ExamRecordDynamicSqlSupport.lmsSetupId, isEqualTo(exam.lmsSetupId))
-                    .and(ExamRecordDynamicSqlSupport.externalId, isEqualTo(exam.externalId))
-                    .build()
-                    .execute();
-
-            // if there is already an existing imported exam for the quiz, this is
-            // used to save instead of create a new one
-            if (records != null && records.size() > 0) {
-                final ExamRecord examRecord = records.get(0);
-                // if the same institution tries to import an exam that already exists throw an error
-                if (exam.institutionId.equals(examRecord.getInstitutionId())) {
+            if (exam.lmsSetupId != null) {
+                final List<ExamRecord> records = this.examRecordMapper.selectByExample()
+                        .where(lmsSetupId, isEqualTo(exam.lmsSetupId))
+                        .and(externalId, isEqualTo(exam.externalId))
+                        .build()
+                        .execute();
+                // if there is already an existing imported exam for the quiz, this is
+                // used to save instead of create a new one
+                if (records != null && !records.isEmpty()) {
+                    final ExamRecord examRecord = records.get(0);
+                    // if the same institution tries to import an exam that already exists throw an error
+                    if (exam.institutionId.equals(examRecord.getInstitutionId())) {
+                        throw new DuplicateResourceException(EntityType.EXAM, exam.externalId);
+                    }
+                }
+            } else {
+                final Long nameCount = this.examRecordMapper.countByExample()
+                        .where(institutionId, isEqualTo(exam.institutionId))
+                        .and(quizName, isEqualTo(exam.name))
+                        .build()
+                        .execute();
+                if (nameCount > 0) {
                     throw new DuplicateResourceException(EntityType.EXAM, exam.externalId);
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/exam/impl/ExamAdminServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/exam/impl/ExamAdminServiceImpl.java
index 99c90337..8e9935d6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/exam/impl/ExamAdminServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/exam/impl/ExamAdminServiceImpl.java
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ public class ExamAdminServiceImpl implements ExamAdminService {
 
     @Override
     public Result<Boolean> isRestricted(final Exam exam) {
-        if (exam == null) {
+        if (exam == null || exam.lmsSetupId == null) {
             return Result.of(false);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/lms/impl/SEBRestrictionServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/lms/impl/SEBRestrictionServiceImpl.java
index 68a6c106..74ed6d38 100644
--- a/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/lms/impl/SEBRestrictionServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/servicelayer/lms/impl/SEBRestrictionServiceImpl.java
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ public class SEBRestrictionServiceImpl implements SEBRestrictionService {
 
     @Override
     public boolean checkSebRestrictionSet(final Exam exam) {
+        if (exam == null || exam.lmsSetupId == null) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         final LmsSetup lmsSetup = this.lmsAPIService
                 .getLmsSetup(exam.lmsSetupId)
                 .getOr(null);
@@ -93,6 +97,10 @@ public class SEBRestrictionServiceImpl implements SEBRestrictionService {
     @Override
     @Transactional
     public Result<SEBRestriction> getSEBRestrictionFromExam(final Exam exam) {
+        if (exam == null || exam.lmsSetupId == null) {
+            return Result.ofError(new NoSEBRestrictionException("exam or lms setup has null reference"));
+        }
+
         return Result.tryCatch(() -> {
             // load the config keys from restriction and merge with new generated config keys
             final Collection<String> generatedKeys = this.examConfigService
diff --git a/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/weblayer/api/ExamAdministrationController.java b/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/weblayer/api/ExamAdministrationController.java
index e017a300..8ec76573 100644
--- a/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/weblayer/api/ExamAdministrationController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/ch/ethz/seb/sebserver/webservice/weblayer/api/ExamAdministrationController.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
 import javax.validation.Valid;
 
+import ch.ethz.seb.sebserver.webservice.servicelayer.lms.impl.NoSEBRestrictionException;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.joda.time.DateTime;
 import org.mybatis.dynamic.sql.SqlTable;
@@ -735,6 +736,10 @@ public class ExamAdministrationController extends EntityController<Exam, Exam> {
 
     private Result<Exam> applySEBRestriction(final Exam exam, final boolean restrict) {
 
+        if (exam == null || exam.lmsSetupId == null) {
+            return Result.ofError(new NoSEBRestrictionException("exam or lms setup has null reference"));
+        }
+
         return Result.tryCatch(() -> {
             final LmsSetup lmsSetup = this.lmsAPIService.getLmsSetup(exam.lmsSetupId)
                     .getOrThrow();