diff --git a/static/js/services/build/build.service.impl.spec.ts b/static/js/services/build/build.service.impl.spec.ts
index 7fd08cd2d..a2e748206 100644
--- a/static/js/services/build/build.service.impl.spec.ts
+++ b/static/js/services/build/build.service.impl.spec.ts
@@ -33,10 +33,11 @@ describe("BuildServiceImpl", () => {
   });
 
   describe("getBuildMessage", () => {
-    var buildMessages: {phase: string, message: string}[];
+    var buildMessages: {phase?: string, message: string}[];
 
     beforeEach(() => {
       buildMessages = [
+        {message: ""},
         {phase: null, message: ""},
         {phase: 'cannot_load', message: 'Cannot load build status'},
         {phase: 'starting', message: 'Starting Dockerfile build'},
diff --git a/static/js/services/build/build.service.impl.ts b/static/js/services/build/build.service.impl.ts
index a65fb6a56..53cca4901 100644
--- a/static/js/services/build/build.service.impl.ts
+++ b/static/js/services/build/build.service.impl.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ export class BuildServiceImpl implements BuildService {
     var message: string;
     switch (phase) {
       case null:
+      case undefined:
         message = '';
         break;