diff --git a/backend/src/main.rs b/backend/src/main.rs
index c608b214b0..87d014283d 100644
--- a/backend/src/main.rs
+++ b/backend/src/main.rs
@@ -500,7 +500,10 @@ Windmill Community Edition {GIT_VERSION}
         #[cfg(feature = "tantivy")]
         let should_index_jobs = mode == Mode::Indexer || mode_and_addons.indexer;
 
-        reload_indexer_config(&db).await;
+        #[cfg(feature = "tantivy")]
+        if should_index_jobs {
+            reload_indexer_config(&db).await;
+        }
 
         #[cfg(feature = "tantivy")]
         let (index_reader, index_writer) = if should_index_jobs {
diff --git a/backend/windmill-api/src/variables.rs b/backend/windmill-api/src/variables.rs
index 425c4d86fc..e66735c083 100644
--- a/backend/windmill-api/src/variables.rs
+++ b/backend/windmill-api/src/variables.rs
@@ -691,14 +691,18 @@ pub async fn get_variable_or_self(path: String, db: &DB, w_id: &str) -> Result<S
         &path,
         &w_id
     )
-    .fetch_one(db)
+    .fetch_optional(db)
     .await?;
 
-    let mut value = record.value;
-    if record.is_secret {
-        let mc = build_crypt(db, w_id).await?;
-        value = decrypt(&mc, value)?;
-    }
+    if let Some(record) = record {
+        let mut value = record.value;
+        if record.is_secret {
+            let mc = build_crypt(db, w_id).await?;
+            value = decrypt(&mc, value)?;
+        }
 
-    Ok(value)
+        Ok(value)
+    } else {
+        Err(Error::NotFound(format!("Variable {} not found", path)))
+    }
 }