diff --git a/plugins/star-rating/api/api.js b/plugins/star-rating/api/api.js
index 4bf19ef7524..619eed4bc30 100644
--- a/plugins/star-rating/api/api.js
+++ b/plugins/star-rating/api/api.js
@@ -722,9 +722,15 @@ function uploadFile(myfile, id, callback) {
                             if (!changes.targeting) {
                                 changes.targeting = {};
                             }
+                            if (!changes.targeting.user_segmentation) {
+                                changes.targeting.user_segmentation = '{"query":{},"queryText":""}';
+                            }
+                            if (!changes.targeting.steps) {
+                                changes.targeting.steps = '[]';
+                            }
                             changes.targeting.app_id = params.app_id + "";//has to be string
                             // eslint-disable-next-line
-                            createCohort(params, type, widgetId, changes.targeting, function(cohortId) { //create cohort using this 
+                            createCohort(params, type, widgetId, changes.targeting, function(cohortId) { //create cohort using this
                                 if (cohortId) {
                                     //update widget record to have this cohortId
                                     common.db.collection("feedback_widgets").findAndModify({ "_id": widgetId }, {}, { $set: { "cohortID": cohortId } }, function(/*err, widget*/) {