diff --git a/expo/data/custom_task.py b/expo/data/custom_task.py
index e904e9496..fe366d7ea 100644
--- a/expo/data/custom_task.py
+++ b/expo/data/custom_task.py
@@ -34,14 +34,16 @@ def get_mle_task_id(dataset_dir):
     return dataset_dir.split("/")[-3]
 
 
-def get_mle_bench_requirements(dataset_dir, data_config, obfuscated=False, special_instruction=""):
+def get_mle_bench_requirements(dataset_dir, data_config, special_instruction, obfuscated=False):
     work_dir = data_config["work_dir"]
     task = get_mle_task_id(dataset_dir)
     output_dir = f"{work_dir}/{task}"
     final_output_dir = f"{work_dir}/submission"
     os.makedirs(output_dir, exist_ok=True)
-    special_instruction = SPECIAL_INSTRUCTIONS[special_instruction]
-
+    if special_instruction:
+        special_instruction = SPECIAL_INSTRUCTIONS[special_instruction]
+    else:
+        special_instruction = ""
     if obfuscated:
         instructions = INSTRUCTIONS_OBFUSCATED.format(dataset_dir=dataset_dir, output_dir=final_output_dir)
         task_file = "description_obfuscated.md"