diff --git a/clearml/backend_interface/task/task.py b/clearml/backend_interface/task/task.py
index 444c1133..634811b9 100644
--- a/clearml/backend_interface/task/task.py
+++ b/clearml/backend_interface/task/task.py
@@ -2133,3 +2133,19 @@ class Task(IdObjectBase, AccessMixin, SetupUploadMixin):
         :return: boolean offline-mode state
         """
         return cls._offline_mode
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _get_task_status(cls, task_id):
+        # type: (str) -> (Optional[str], Optional[str])
+        if cls._offline_mode:
+            return tasks.TaskStatusEnum.created, 'offline'
+
+        # noinspection PyBroadException
+        try:
+            all_tasks = cls._get_default_session().send(
+                tasks.GetAllRequest(id=[task_id], only_fields=['status', 'status_message']),
+            ).response.tasks
+            return all_tasks[0].status, all_tasks[0].status_message
+        except Exception:
+            return None, None
+
diff --git a/clearml/backend_interface/util.py b/clearml/backend_interface/util.py
index bbdacab1..89ab1b43 100644
--- a/clearml/backend_interface/util.py
+++ b/clearml/backend_interface/util.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def get_or_create_project(session, project_name, description=None):
         return None
     if res.response.projects:
         return res.response.projects[0].id
-    res = session.send(projects.CreateRequest(name=project_name, description=description))
+    res = session.send(projects.CreateRequest(name=project_name, description=description or ''))
     return res.response.id