diff --git a/ccm-cms/src/main/java/com/arsdigita/cms/ui/lifecycle/ItemLifecycleAdminController.java b/ccm-cms/src/main/java/com/arsdigita/cms/ui/lifecycle/ItemLifecycleAdminController.java
index 8dc1c1ffc..65929f7bf 100644
--- a/ccm-cms/src/main/java/com/arsdigita/cms/ui/lifecycle/ItemLifecycleAdminController.java
+++ b/ccm-cms/src/main/java/com/arsdigita/cms/ui/lifecycle/ItemLifecycleAdminController.java
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ class ItemLifecycleAdminController implements Serializable {
     }
 
     @Transactional(Transactional.TxType.REQUIRED)
-    public LifecycleDefinition getDefaultLifecycle(final ContentItem item) {
+    public Optional<LifecycleDefinition> getDefaultLifecycle(
+        final ContentItem item) {
 
         final ContentItem contentItem = itemRepo
             .findById(item.getObjectId())
@@ -156,9 +157,14 @@ class ItemLifecycleAdminController implements Serializable {
             .getContentType()
             .getDefaultLifecycle();
 
-        return lifecycleDefRepo
-            .findById(definition.getDefinitionId())
-            .get();
+        if (definition == null) {
+            return Optional.empty();
+        } else {
+            return Optional
+                .of(lifecycleDefRepo
+                    .findById(definition.getDefinitionId())
+                    .get());
+        }
     }
 
     @Transactional(Transactional.TxType.REQUIRED)
diff --git a/ccm-cms/src/main/java/com/arsdigita/cms/ui/lifecycle/ItemLifecycleSelectForm.java b/ccm-cms/src/main/java/com/arsdigita/cms/ui/lifecycle/ItemLifecycleSelectForm.java
index 3f21f34ae..151b2de1d 100755
--- a/ccm-cms/src/main/java/com/arsdigita/cms/ui/lifecycle/ItemLifecycleSelectForm.java
+++ b/ccm-cms/src/main/java/com/arsdigita/cms/ui/lifecycle/ItemLifecycleSelectForm.java
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ import com.arsdigita.bebop.parameters.IntegerParameter;
 import com.arsdigita.bebop.parameters.NumberInRangeValidationListener;
 import com.arsdigita.cms.CMS;
 import com.arsdigita.cms.ui.BaseForm;
-import com.arsdigita.cms.ui.ContentItemPage;
 import com.arsdigita.cms.ui.item.ContentItemRequestLocal;
 import com.arsdigita.cms.ui.item.ItemWorkflowRequestLocal;
 import com.arsdigita.cms.ui.workflow.WorkflowRequestLocal;
@@ -67,16 +66,9 @@ import org.libreccm.workflow.WorkflowRepository;
 import org.librecms.CmsConstants;
 import org.librecms.contentsection.ContentItem;
 import org.librecms.contentsection.ContentItemManager;
-import org.librecms.contentsection.ContentItemRepository;
 import org.librecms.contentsection.ContentSection;
 import org.librecms.contentsection.privileges.ItemPrivileges;
-import org.librecms.lifecycle.Lifecycle;
 import org.librecms.lifecycle.LifecycleDefinition;
-import org.librecms.lifecycle.LifecycleDefinitionRepository;
-import org.librecms.lifecycle.LifecycleManager;
-import org.librecms.lifecycle.Phase;
-import org.librecms.lifecycle.PhaseDefinition;
-import org.librecms.lifecycle.PhaseRepository;
 import org.librecms.workflow.CmsTask;
 import org.librecms.workflow.CmsTaskManager;
 import org.librecms.workflow.CmsTaskType;
@@ -88,6 +80,7 @@ import java.math.BigDecimal;
 import java.util.Calendar;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Locale;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.TimeZone;
 import java.util.TooManyListenersException;
 
@@ -320,19 +313,17 @@ class ItemLifecycleSelectForm extends BaseForm {
                 // associated lifecycle.
 
                 final LifecycleDefinition definition = controller
-                .getDefinitionOfLifecycle(item);
+                    .getDefinitionOfLifecycle(item);
 //                final LifecycleDefinition definition = item
 //                    .getLifecycle()
 //                    .getDefinition();
                 cycleSelect.setValue(state, definition.getDefinitionId());
             } else {
                 // Set the default lifecycle (if it exists).
-                final LifecycleDefinition definition = controller
-                    .getDefaultLifecycle(item);
-
-                if (definition != null) {
-                    cycleSelect.setValue(state, definition.getDefinitionId());
-                }
+                controller
+                    .getDefaultLifecycle(item)
+                    .ifPresent(definition -> cycleSelect.setValue(state, 
+                                                                  definition));
             }
 
             // Set the default start date.
@@ -390,8 +381,8 @@ class ItemLifecycleSelectForm extends BaseForm {
             final ContentItem item = itemRequestLocal.getContentItem(state);
             final CdiUtil cdiUtil = CdiUtil.createCdiUtil();
             final ItemLifecycleAdminController controller = cdiUtil
-            .findBean(ItemLifecycleAdminController.class);
-            
+                .findBean(ItemLifecycleAdminController.class);
+
             final Publisher publisher = new Publisher(state);
             if (CMSConfig.getConfig().isThreadPublishing()) {
                 final Runnable threadAction = new Runnable() {
@@ -730,10 +721,10 @@ class ItemLifecycleSelectForm extends BaseForm {
 
             final CdiUtil cdiUtil = CdiUtil.createCdiUtil();
             final ItemLifecycleAdminController controller = cdiUtil
-            .findBean(ItemLifecycleAdminController.class);
-            
+                .findBean(ItemLifecycleAdminController.class);
+
             controller.publish(itemUuid, defID, endDate, workflowUuid, user);
-            
+
 //            final ContentItemRepository itemRepo = cdiUtil.findBean(
 //                ContentItemRepository.class);
 //            final ContentItemManager itemManager = cdiUtil.findBean(
diff --git a/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources.properties b/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources.properties
index 22b16eea3..f005039f6 100644
--- a/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources.properties
+++ b/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources.properties
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ cms.ui.item.lifecycle=Lifecycle
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.start_date=Start date
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_date=End date
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.start_time=Start time
-cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_time\ =End time
+cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_time=End time
 cms.ui.item.notification_period=Notify in advance
 cms.ui.item.days=days
 cms.ui.item.hours=hours
diff --git a/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources_de.properties b/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources_de.properties
index ae0ce3345..5daf1cb89 100644
--- a/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources_de.properties
+++ b/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources_de.properties
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ cms.ui.item.lifecycle=Ver\u00f6ffentlichungszyklus
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.start_date=Beginnt am
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_date=Endet am
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.start_time=Beginnt um
-cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_time\ =Endet um
+cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_time=Endet um
 cms.ui.item.notification_period=Vorab Benachrichtigung 
 cms.ui.item.days=Tage
 cms.ui.item.hours=Stunden
diff --git a/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources_fr.properties b/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources_fr.properties
index c532ef513..9fb29c1c8 100644
--- a/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources_fr.properties
+++ b/ccm-cms/src/main/resources/org/librecms/CmsResources_fr.properties
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ cms.ui.item.lifecycle=Lifecycle
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.start_date=Start date
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_date=End date
 cms.ui.item.lifecycle.start_time=Start time
-cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_time\ =End time
+cms.ui.item.lifecycle.end_time=End time
 cms.ui.item.notification_period=Notify in advance
 cms.ui.item.days=days
 cms.ui.item.hours=hours