diff --git a/api/controllers/service_api/dataset/dataset.py b/api/controllers/service_api/dataset/dataset.py
index f087243a25..e1e6f3168f 100644
--- a/api/controllers/service_api/dataset/dataset.py
+++ b/api/controllers/service_api/dataset/dataset.py
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ class DatasetListApi(DatasetApiResource):
                 external_knowledge_id=args["external_knowledge_id"],
                 embedding_model_provider=args["embedding_model_provider"],
                 embedding_model_name=args["embedding_model"],
-                retrieval_model=RetrievalModel(**args["retrieval_model"]),
+                retrieval_model=RetrievalModel(**args["retrieval_model"])
+                if args["retrieval_model"] is not None
+                else None,
             )
         except services.errors.dataset.DatasetNameDuplicateError:
             raise DatasetNameDuplicateError()