diff --git a/ckan/lib/helpers.py b/ckan/lib/helpers.py
index 3b1296580d3..1e8878b3ea8 100644
--- a/ckan/lib/helpers.py
+++ b/ckan/lib/helpers.py
@@ -1328,6 +1328,14 @@ def resource_preview(resource, pkg_id):
 
     data_dict = {'resource': resource, 'package': None}
 
+    if not resource['url']:
+        log.info('No url for resource {0} defined.'.format(resource['id']))
+        return snippet(
+            "dataviewer/snippets/no_preview.html",
+            resource_type=format_lower,
+            reason='No valid resource url has been defined.'
+            )
+
     if _can_be_previewed(data_dict):
         url = url_for(controller='package', action='resource_datapreview',
             resource_id=resource['id'], id=pkg_id, qualified=True)
diff --git a/ckan/templates/dataviewer/snippets/no_preview.html b/ckan/templates/dataviewer/snippets/no_preview.html
index 073dda4f7cf..77403152c2d 100644
--- a/ckan/templates/dataviewer/snippets/no_preview.html
+++ b/ckan/templates/dataviewer/snippets/no_preview.html
@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@ <h4 class="pull-left">{{ _('This resource cannot be previewed.') }} </h4>
     	<i class="icon-info-sign"></i> More details...
     </button>
     <div id="demo" class="collapse">
-	    {% set t = '<code>'|safe + resource_type + '</code>'|safe %}
-	    {{ gettext('No handler defined for data type: %(type)s.', type=t) }}
+      {% if reason %}
+        {{_(reason)}}
+      {% else %}
+        {% set t = '<code>'|safe + resource_type + '</code>'|safe %}
+        {{ gettext('No handler defined for data type: %(type)s.', type=t) }}
+      {% endif %}
   	</div>
   </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 1be32dbdf5e..c32fecfd1e8 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@
     organizations_dataset=ckanext.organizations.forms:OrganizationDatasetForm
     datastore=ckanext.datastore.plugin:DatastorePlugin
     test_tag_vocab_plugin=ckanext.test_tag_vocab_plugin:MockVocabTagsPlugin
+    resourceproxy=ckanext.resourceproxy.plugin:ResourceProxy
     json_preview=ckanext.jsonpreview.plugin:JsonPreview
     pdf_preview=ckanext.pdfpreview.plugin:PdfPreview
     recline_preview=ckanext.reclinepreview.plugin:ReclinePreview
-    resourceproxy=ckanext.resourceproxy.plugin:ResourceProxy
 
     [ckan.system_plugins]
     domain_object_mods = ckan.model.modification:DomainObjectModificationExtension