diff --git a/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/common/events/SpeciesListRetrievedEvent.java b/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/common/events/SpeciesListRetrievedEvent.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a3d71f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/common/events/SpeciesListRetrievedEvent.java
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.events;
+
+import com.google.gwt.event.shared.GwtEvent;
+import org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.handlers.SpeciesListRetrievedHandler;
+import org.reactome.web.pwp.model.client.classes.Species;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+public class SpeciesListRetrievedEvent extends GwtEvent<SpeciesListRetrievedHandler> {
+    public static Type<SpeciesListRetrievedHandler> TYPE = new Type<>();
+    private List<Species> speciesList;
+
+    public SpeciesListRetrievedEvent(List<Species> speciesList) {
+        this.speciesList = speciesList;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Type<SpeciesListRetrievedHandler> getAssociatedType() {
+        return TYPE;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void dispatch(SpeciesListRetrievedHandler handler) {
+        handler.onSpeciesListRetrieved(this);
+    }
+
+    public List<Species> getSpeciesList() {
+        return speciesList;
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/common/handlers/SpeciesListRetrievedHandler.java b/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/common/handlers/SpeciesListRetrievedHandler.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b3fe6ef6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/common/handlers/SpeciesListRetrievedHandler.java
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.handlers;
+
+import com.google.gwt.event.shared.EventHandler;
+import org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.events.SpeciesListRetrievedEvent;
+
+public interface SpeciesListRetrievedHandler extends EventHandler {
+    void onSpeciesListRetrieved(SpeciesListRetrievedEvent event);
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/manager/state/StateManager.java b/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/manager/state/StateManager.java
index fd9bcf02..34e47b4f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/manager/state/StateManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/manager/state/StateManager.java
@@ -32,12 +32,14 @@
 public class StateManager implements BrowserModule.Manager, ValueChangeHandler<String>,
         State.StateLoadedHandler, StateChangedHandler, DatabaseObjectSelectedHandler, DetailsTabChangedHandler,
         DiagramObjectsFlagResetHandler, AnalysisCompletedHandler, AnalysisResetHandler, AnalysisFilterChangedHandler,
-        ToolSelectedHandler, TermFlaggedHandler {
+        ToolSelectedHandler, TermFlaggedHandler, SpeciesListRetrievedHandler {
 
     private EventBus eventBus;
 
     private State currentState;
 
+    private List<Species> speciesList;
+
     public StateManager(EventBus eventBus) {
         this.eventBus = eventBus;
         new TitleManager(eventBus);
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ public StateManager(EventBus eventBus) {
         this.eventBus.addHandler(DiagramObjectsFlagResetEvent.TYPE, this);
         this.eventBus.addHandler(AnalysisFilterChangedEvent.TYPE, this);
         this.eventBus.addHandler(TermFlaggedEvent.TYPE, this);
+        this.eventBus.addHandler(SpeciesListRetrievedEvent.TYPE, this);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -96,6 +99,11 @@ public void onAnalysisReset() {
         this.eventBus.fireEventFromSource(new StateChangedEvent(desiredState), this);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void onSpeciesListRetrieved(SpeciesListRetrievedEvent event) {
+        this.speciesList = event.getSpeciesList();
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void onDatabaseObjectSelected(DatabaseObjectSelectedEvent event) {
         Selection newSelection = event.getSelection();
@@ -128,7 +136,7 @@ public void onDatabaseObjectSelected(DatabaseObjectSelectedEvent event) {
                         currentState.setEvent(e);
                         currentState.setPath(path);
                     }
-                    if (species != null && !species.equals(currentState.getSpecies())) {
+                    if (species != null && !species.equals(currentState.getSpecies()) && speciesList.contains(species)) {
                         eventBus.fireEventFromSource(new SpeciesSelectedEvent(species), this);
                         return;
                     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/toppanel/species/SpeciesSelectorPresenter.java b/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/toppanel/species/SpeciesSelectorPresenter.java
index 3316468a..aaf9da31 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/toppanel/species/SpeciesSelectorPresenter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/reactome/web/pwp/client/toppanel/species/SpeciesSelectorPresenter.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import com.google.gwt.event.shared.EventBus;
 import org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.events.ErrorMessageEvent;
+import org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.events.SpeciesListRetrievedEvent;
 import org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.events.SpeciesSelectedEvent;
 import org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.events.StateChangedEvent;
 import org.reactome.web.pwp.client.common.module.AbstractPresenter;
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ public void onObjectListLoaded(List<Species> list) {
                 speciesList = list;
                 display.setData(speciesList);
                 loaded = true;
+                eventBus.fireEventFromSource(new SpeciesListRetrievedEvent(speciesList), this);
                 switchDisplayToSpecies(currentSpecies);
             }
 
@@ -83,4 +85,5 @@ public void onContentClientError(ContentClientError error) {
             }
         });
     }
+
 }