diff --git a/ProcessMaker/Events/CustomizeUiUpdated.php b/ProcessMaker/Events/CustomizeUiUpdated.php
index a9875d1da1..0fe872082a 100644
--- a/ProcessMaker/Events/CustomizeUiUpdated.php
+++ b/ProcessMaker/Events/CustomizeUiUpdated.php
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ public function buildData()
         if (!isset($this->original['variables'])) {
             $this->original['variables'] = $this->defaultVariables;
         }
+        if (!isset($this->changes['variables'])) {
+            $this->changes['variables'] = $this->defaultVariables;
+        }
         if (isset($this->changes['variables']) && isset($this->original['variables'])) {
             $varChanges = [];
             $varOriginal = [];
@@ -75,11 +78,14 @@ public function buildData()
         if (!isset($this->original['sansSerifFont'])) {
             $this->original['sansSerifFont'] = $this->defaultFont;
         }
+        if (!isset($this->changes['sansSerifFont'])) {
+            $this->changes['sansSerifFont'] = $this->defaultFont;
+        }
         if ($this->original['sansSerifFont'] == $this->changes['sansSerifFont']) {
             unset($this->original['sansSerifFont']);
             unset($this->changes['sansSerifFont']);
         }
-        if ($this->original['variables'] == $this->changes['sansSevariablesrifFont']) {
+        if ($this->original['variables'] == $this->changes['variables']) {
             unset($this->original['variables']);
             unset($this->changes['variables']);
         }
diff --git a/ProcessMaker/Http/Controllers/Api/CssOverrideController.php b/ProcessMaker/Http/Controllers/Api/CssOverrideController.php
index 155e0c8cf5..1c009ebb98 100644
--- a/ProcessMaker/Http/Controllers/Api/CssOverrideController.php
+++ b/ProcessMaker/Http/Controllers/Api/CssOverrideController.php
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ private function formatConfig(Request $request)
             'logo' => $request->input('fileLogoName', ''),
             'icon' => $request->input('fileIconName', ''),
             'favicon' => $request->input('fileFaviconName', ''),
-            'variables' => $request->input('variables', ''),
+            'variables' => $request->input('variables', '[]'),
             'sansSerifFont' => $request->input('sansSerifFont', $this->sansSerifFontDefault()),
         ];
     }