diff --git a/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-util/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/util/ExceptionUtil.java b/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-util/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/util/ExceptionUtil.java
index f1a0494f1..cc5fd29bf 100644
--- a/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-util/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/util/ExceptionUtil.java
+++ b/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-util/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/util/ExceptionUtil.java
@@ -64,6 +64,19 @@ public class ExceptionUtil {
 		String msg = cause.getClass().getSimpleName() + ": " + cause.getMessage();
 		return msg;
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * 
+	 * @param e
+	 * @return a nicer message suitable for display to the user
+	 */
+	public static String getMessageForUserDisplay(Throwable e) {
+		// The message of nested exception is usually more interesting than the
+		// one on top.
+		Throwable cause = getDeepestCause(e);
+		String msg = cause.getMessage();
+		return msg;
+	}
 
 	public static IllegalStateException notImplemented(String string) {
 		return new IllegalStateException("Not implemented: " + string);
diff --git a/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/yaml/completion/YTypeAssistContext.java b/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/yaml/completion/YTypeAssistContext.java
index deeb5115d..3b9a9f099 100644
--- a/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/yaml/completion/YTypeAssistContext.java
+++ b/vscode-extensions/commons/commons-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/commons/yaml/completion/YTypeAssistContext.java
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ public class YTypeAssistContext extends AbstractYamlAssistContext {
 			values = typeUtil.getHintValues(type, getSchemaContext());
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			DocumentEdits edits = new DocumentEdits(doc.getDocument());
-			return ImmutableList.of(completionFactory().errorMessage(ExceptionUtil.getMessage(e), query, type, edits, typeUtil));
+			return ImmutableList.of(completionFactory().errorMessage(ExceptionUtil.getMessageForUserDisplay(e), query, type, edits, typeUtil));
 		}
 		if (values!=null) {
 			ArrayList<ICompletionProposal> completions = new ArrayList<>();
diff --git a/vscode-extensions/vscode-manifest-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/manifest/yaml/ManifestYamlCFBuildpacksProvider.java b/vscode-extensions/vscode-manifest-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/manifest/yaml/ManifestYamlCFBuildpacksProvider.java
index 533dea561..96e37eb71 100644
--- a/vscode-extensions/vscode-manifest-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/manifest/yaml/ManifestYamlCFBuildpacksProvider.java
+++ b/vscode-extensions/vscode-manifest-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/manifest/yaml/ManifestYamlCFBuildpacksProvider.java
@@ -28,11 +28,12 @@ public class ManifestYamlCFBuildpacksProvider extends AbstractCFHintsProvider {
 
 	@Override
 	public Collection<YValueHint> getHints(List<CFTarget> targets) throws Exception {
-		List<YValueHint> hints = new ArrayList<>();
 		for (CFTarget cfTarget : targets) {
 
 			List<CFBuildpack> buildpacks = cfTarget.getBuildpacks();
-			if (buildpacks != null) {
+			if (buildpacks != null && !buildpacks.isEmpty()) {
+				List<YValueHint> hints = new ArrayList<>();
+
 				for (CFBuildpack buildpack : buildpacks) {
 					String name = buildpack.getName();
 					String label = getBuildpackLabel(cfTarget, buildpack);
@@ -41,10 +42,12 @@ public class ManifestYamlCFBuildpacksProvider extends AbstractCFHintsProvider {
 						hints.add(hint);
 					}
 				}
+				return hints;
 			}
 		}
-
-		return hints;
+		// Return null if no hints an be resolved rather than empty list (seems to be
+		// what is expected for parsing for reconciler)
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	protected String getBuildpackLabel(CFTarget target, CFBuildpack buildpack) {
diff --git a/vscode-extensions/vscode-manifest-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/manifest/yaml/ManifestYamlCFServicesProvider.java b/vscode-extensions/vscode-manifest-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/manifest/yaml/ManifestYamlCFServicesProvider.java
index f8ab0a655..bf2939fe6 100644
--- a/vscode-extensions/vscode-manifest-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/manifest/yaml/ManifestYamlCFServicesProvider.java
+++ b/vscode-extensions/vscode-manifest-yaml/src/main/java/org/springframework/ide/vscode/manifest/yaml/ManifestYamlCFServicesProvider.java
@@ -28,11 +28,12 @@ public class ManifestYamlCFServicesProvider extends AbstractCFHintsProvider {
 
 	@Override
 	public Collection<YValueHint> getHints(List<CFTarget> targets) throws Exception {
-		List<YValueHint> hints = new ArrayList<>();
 
 		for (CFTarget cfTarget : targets) {
 			List<CFServiceInstance> services = cfTarget.getServices();
-			if (services != null) {
+			if (services != null && !services.isEmpty()) {
+				List<YValueHint> hints = new ArrayList<>();
+
 				for (CFServiceInstance service : services) {
 					String name = service.getName();
 					String label = getServiceLabel(cfTarget, service);
@@ -41,10 +42,12 @@ public class ManifestYamlCFServicesProvider extends AbstractCFHintsProvider {
 						hints.add(hint);
 					}
 				}
+				return hints;
 			}
 		}
-
-		return hints;
+		// Return null if no hints an be resolved rather than empty list (seems to be
+		// what is expected for parsing for reconciler)
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	private String getServiceLabel(CFTarget cfClientTarget, CFServiceInstance service) {