diff --git a/frappe/public/css/desk.css b/frappe/public/css/desk.css
index 789390e5fb..0902c35ec4 100644
--- a/frappe/public/css/desk.css
+++ b/frappe/public/css/desk.css
@@ -231,6 +231,14 @@ a.form-link {
   font-weight: bold;
   font-size: 102%;
 }
+a[disabled="disabled"] {
+  color: #8D99A6;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  cursor: default;
+}
+a[disabled="disabled"]:hover {
+  text-decoration: none;
+}
 .link-btn {
   position: absolute;
   top: 2px;
diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/dashboard.js b/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/dashboard.js
index 225d2c05a4..4876c6841b 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/dashboard.js
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/dashboard.js
@@ -119,8 +119,7 @@ frappe.ui.form.Dashboard = Class.extend({
 		}
 
 		if(!this.data) {
-			this.data = this.frm.meta.__dashboard;
-			this.filter_permissions();
+			this.init_data();
 		}
 
 		var show = false;
@@ -145,6 +144,13 @@ frappe.ui.form.Dashboard = Class.extend({
 		}
 	},
 
+	init_data: function() {
+		this.data = this.frm.meta.__dashboard || {};
+		if(!this.data.transactions) this.data.transactions = [];
+		if(!this.data.internal_links) this.data.internal_links = {};
+		this.filter_permissions();
+	},
+
 	filter_permissions: function() {
 		// filter out transactions for which the user
 		// does not have permission
@@ -192,10 +198,14 @@ frappe.ui.form.Dashboard = Class.extend({
 	open_document_list: function($link, show_open) {
 		// show document list with filters
 		var doctype = $link.attr('data-doctype'),
-			names = $link.attr('data-names')
+			names = $link.attr('data-names') || [];
 
-		if(names) {
-			frappe.route_options = {'name': ['in', names]};
+		if(this.data.internal_links[doctype]) {
+			if(names.length) {
+				frappe.route_options = {'name': ['in', names]};
+			} else {
+				return false;
+			}
 		} else {
 			frappe.route_options = this.get_document_filter(doctype);
 			if(show_open) {
@@ -248,12 +258,12 @@ frappe.ui.form.Dashboard = Class.extend({
 				});
 
 				// update from internal links
-				$.each(me.data.internal_links || {}, function(doctype, link) {
+				$.each(me.data.internal_links, function(doctype, link) {
 					var table_fieldname = link[0], link_fieldname = link[1];
 					var names = [];
 					(me.frm.doc[table_fieldname] || []).forEach(function(d) {
 						var value = d[link_fieldname];
-						if(names.indexOf(value)===-1) {
+						if(value && names.indexOf(value)===-1) {
 							names.push(value);
 						}
 					});
@@ -282,7 +292,13 @@ frappe.ui.form.Dashboard = Class.extend({
 				.html((count > 9) ? '9+' : count);
 		}
 
-		$link.attr('data-names', names ? names.join(',') : '');
+		if(this.data.internal_links[doctype]) {
+			if(names && names.length) {
+				$link.attr('data-names', names ? names.join(',') : '');
+			} else {
+				$link.find('a').attr('disabled', true);
+			}
+		}
 	},
 
 	update_heatmap: function(data) {
diff --git a/frappe/public/less/desk.less b/frappe/public/less/desk.less
index 78daf63451..b2717b1326 100644
--- a/frappe/public/less/desk.less
+++ b/frappe/public/less/desk.less
@@ -12,6 +12,16 @@ a.form-link {
 	font-size: 102%;
 }
 
+a[disabled="disabled"] {
+	color: @text-muted;
+	text-decoration: none;
+	cursor: default;
+
+	&:hover {
+		text-decoration: none;
+	}
+}
+
 .link-btn {
 	position: absolute;
 	top: 2px;