diff --git a/utilities.py b/utilities.py
index 13d7d73adddda3b8d4debc32570fb03690d24497..340a987d805969c5731efd8f90293f844650ff25 100755
--- a/utilities.py
+++ b/utilities.py
@@ -194,10 +194,11 @@ def get_sp_jbrowse_links(org_list):
 
     for org in org_list:
         gspecies = org.genus_species
-        if gspecies not in jbrowse_links_dict.keys():
-            jbrowse_links_dict[gspecies] = ""
         if org.contig_prefix != "":
-            jbrowse_links_dict[gspecies] = jbrowse_links_dict[gspecies] + ";" + org.contig_prefix + ">" + org.species_folder_name
+            if gspecies not in jbrowse_links_dict.keys():
+                jbrowse_links_dict[gspecies] = org.contig_prefix + ">" + org.species_folder_name
+            else:
+                jbrowse_links_dict[gspecies] = jbrowse_links_dict[gspecies] + ";" + org.contig_prefix + ">" + org.species_folder_name
 
     return jbrowse_links_dict