diff --git a/arkindex_worker/worker/base.py b/arkindex_worker/worker/base.py
index f62d3b313fba53c72a432d96ff7438effb5c6b6d..f892558e4254f9f0255ff036e62fc9557b2206c6 100644
--- a/arkindex_worker/worker/base.py
+++ b/arkindex_worker/worker/base.py
@@ -215,13 +215,14 @@ class BaseWorker(object):
 
         # Load worker run configuration when available
         worker_configuration = worker_run.get("configuration")
-        if worker_configuration:
+        if worker_configuration and worker_configuration.get("configuration"):
             logger.info("Loaded user configuration from WorkerRun")
             self.user_configuration.update(worker_configuration.get("configuration"))
-            # if debug mode is set to true activate debug mode in logger
-            if self.user_configuration.get("debug"):
-                logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
-                logger.debug("Debug output enabled")
+
+        # if debug mode is set to true activate debug mode in logger
+        if self.user_configuration.get("debug"):
+            logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+            logger.debug("Debug output enabled")
 
     def configure_cache(self):
         task_id = os.environ.get("PONOS_TASK")
diff --git a/tests/test_base_worker.py b/tests/test_base_worker.py
index 09e731865c2759b83bf813b3532233e29d2ac90d..6239c81b27495f3892d6376caa1b10eebad55b2a 100644
--- a/tests/test_base_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_base_worker.py
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ def test_configure_worker_run_missing_conf(mocker, monkeypatch, responses):
     worker.args = worker.parser.parse_args()
     worker.configure()
 
-    assert worker.user_configuration is None
+    assert worker.user_configuration == {}
 
 
 def test_configure_worker_run_no_worker_run_conf(mocker, monkeypatch, responses):
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ def test_configure_worker_run_no_worker_run_conf(mocker, monkeypatch, responses)
     worker.args = worker.parser.parse_args()
     worker.configure()
 
-    assert worker.user_configuration is None
+    assert worker.user_configuration == {}
 
 
 def test_load_missing_secret():