diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 88115f5..5b0e10c 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ jobs:
           # By default we run the deploy script in --dry-run mode. To enable the
           # actual run set the secret PHASE3_UPDATE=1 in the repo settings.
           RUN_FLAG="--dry-run"
-          if [ "${{ secrets.PHASE3_UPDATE:-}}" = "1" ]; then
+          if [ "${{ secrets.PHASE3_UPDATE }}" = "1" ]; then
             RUN_FLAG=""
           fi
 
diff --git a/backend/scripts/create-bisaya-course-content.js b/backend/scripts/create-bisaya-course-content.js
index 9c4c1ca..27922f1 100644
--- a/backend/scripts/create-bisaya-course-content.js
+++ b/backend/scripts/create-bisaya-course-content.js
@@ -826,6 +826,50 @@ function generateExercisesFromDidactics(lesson) {
   return generated.filter(Boolean);
 }
 
+// Generic fallback exercises when no didactics/exercises are present.
+function buildGenericFallbackExercises(lesson) {
+  const title = lesson.title || 'Unbekannte Lektion';
+  const clean = String(title).replace(/[^\w\säöüÄÖÜß-]/g, '').trim();
+  const tokens = clean.split(/\s+/).slice(0, 4);
+
+  const mcOptions = [clean, ...tokens.map((t, i) => `${t} alt ${i+1}`)].slice(0,4);
+
+  const multipleChoice = {
+    exerciseTypeId: 2,
+    title: `${title}: Beispielprüfung (automatisch)` ,
+    instruction: 'Wähle die passende Formulierung (Platzhalter).',
+    questionData: {
+      type: 'multiple_choice',
+      question: `Welcher Ausdruck passt am besten zur Lektion "${title}"?`,
+      options: mcOptions
+    },
+    answerData: {
+      type: 'multiple_choice',
+      correctAnswer: 0
+    },
+    explanation: 'Automatisch erstellte Platzhalterprüfung — bitte durch sprachspezifische Übungen ersetzen.'
+  };
+
+  const gapText = tokens.length ? `${tokens.join(' ')} {gap}` : `{gap}`;
+  const gapFill = {
+    exerciseTypeId: 1,
+    title: `${title}: Lückentest (automatisch)`,
+    instruction: 'Fülle die Lücke mit dem passenden Wort.',
+    questionData: {
+      type: 'gap_fill',
+      text: gapText,
+      gaps: 1
+    },
+    answerData: {
+      type: 'gap_fill',
+      answers: [tokens[0] || '']
+    },
+    explanation: 'Automatisch erzeugte Lücke, dient als Kurznotbehelf.'
+  };
+
+  return [multipleChoice, gapFill];
+}
+
 // Bisaya-spezifische Übungen basierend auf Lektionsthemen
 const BISAYA_EXERCISES = {
   // Lektion 24: Gefühle im Alltag
@@ -6078,7 +6122,17 @@ async function createBisayaCourseContent() {
         });
       }
 
-      const exercises = getExercisesForLesson(lesson);
+      let exercises = getExercisesForLesson(lesson);
+
+      // If generator produced nothing, create a small safe fallback so the UI
+      // doesn't show the generic placeholder. This keeps behaviour deterministic
+      // and avoids empty lesson pages when didactics are missing.
+      if ((!exercises || exercises.length === 0) && !forceRebuildAll) {
+        const fallback = buildGenericFallbackExercises(lesson);
+        if (fallback && fallback.length) {
+          return fallback;
+        }
+      }
       if (exercises.length === 0) {
         const existingCount = await VocabGrammarExercise.count({ where: { lessonId: lesson.id } });
         if (existingCount > 0) {