diff --git a/vault_service/tests/test_user.py b/vault_service/tests/test_user.py
index 1dca569..c3bd698 100644
--- a/vault_service/tests/test_user.py
+++ b/vault_service/tests/test_user.py
@@ -498,5 +498,28 @@ def test_template_query(self):
         self.assertEquals(r.json[0]['name'], 'test query')
         self.assertEquals(r.json[1]['name'], 'Favorite Authors - Recent Papers')
 
+        # save an arXiv query without keywords
+        r = self.client.post(url_for('user.myads_notifications'),
+                             headers={'Authorization': 'secret', 'X-Adsws-Uid': '4'},
+                             data=json.dumps({'type': 'template',
+                                              'template': 'arxiv',
+                                              'classes': ['cs']}),
+                             content_type='application/json')
+
+        self.assertStatus(r, 200)
+        self.assertEquals(r.json['data'], None)
+
+        r = self.client.post(url_for('user.myads_notifications'),
+                             headers={'Authorization': 'secret', 'X-Adsws-Uid': '4'},
+                             data=json.dumps({'type': 'template',
+                                              'data': '',
+                                              'template': 'arxiv',
+                                              'classes': ['hep-ex']}),
+                             content_type='application/json')
+
+        self.assertStatus(r, 200)
+        self.assertEquals(r.json['data'], None)
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/vault_service/views/user.py b/vault_service/views/user.py
index a669df5..ce67058 100644
--- a/vault_service/views/user.py
+++ b/vault_service/views/user.py
@@ -317,6 +317,11 @@ def _create_myads_notification(payload=None, headers=None, user_id=None):
                           frequency=payload.get('frequency'))
 
     elif ntype == 'template':
+        # handles both None values and empty strings
+        if not payload.get('data'):
+            payload['old_data'] = payload.get('data', None)
+            payload['data'] = None
+
         if 'template' not in payload:
             return json.dumps({'msg': 'Bad data passed'}), 400
 
@@ -329,11 +334,12 @@ def _create_myads_notification(payload=None, headers=None, user_id=None):
             if not set(payload.get('classes')).issubset(set(current_app.config['ALLOWED_ARXIV_CLASSES'])):
                 return json.dumps({'msg': 'Bad data passed'}), 400
 
-        # verify data/query
-        solrq = 'q=' + payload['data'] + '&wt=json'
-        r = make_solr_request(query=solrq, headers=headers)
-        if r.status_code != 200:
-            return json.dumps({'msg': 'Could not verify the query.', 'query': payload, 'reason': r.text}), 404
+        if payload.get('data', None):
+            # verify data/query
+            solrq = 'q=' + payload.get('data') + '&wt=json'
+            r = make_solr_request(query=solrq, headers=headers)
+            if r.status_code != 200:
+                return json.dumps({'msg': 'Could not verify the query.', 'query': payload, 'reason': r.text}), 404
 
         # add metadata
         if payload['template'] == 'arxiv':
@@ -342,7 +348,10 @@ def _create_myads_notification(payload=None, headers=None, user_id=None):
             data = payload.get('data', None)
             stateful = False
             frequency = payload.get('frequency', 'daily')
-            name = '{0} - Recent Papers'.format(get_keyword_query_name(payload['data']))
+            if payload.get('data', None):
+                name = '{0} - Recent Papers'.format(get_keyword_query_name(payload['data']))
+            else:
+                name = 'Recent Papers'
         elif payload['template'] == 'citations':
             template = 'citations'
             classes = None
@@ -435,6 +444,11 @@ def _edit_myads_notification(payload=None, headers=None, user_id=None, myads_id=
     :param myads_id: ID of a single notification
     :return: json, details of edited setup
     """
+    # handles both None values and empty strings
+    if not payload.get('data'):
+        payload['old_data'] = payload.get('data', None)
+        payload['data'] = None
+
     # verify data/query
     if payload.get('data', None):
         solrq = 'q=' + payload['data'] + '&wt=json'