diff --git a/flex/storages/rt_mutable_graph/schema.cc b/flex/storages/rt_mutable_graph/schema.cc
index 4d3ab9a82a4d..01620ff833cc 100644
--- a/flex/storages/rt_mutable_graph/schema.cc
+++ b/flex/storages/rt_mutable_graph/schema.cc
@@ -969,6 +969,10 @@ static Status parse_edge_schema(YAML::Node node, Schema& schema) {
 }
 
 static Status parse_edges_schema(YAML::Node node, Schema& schema) {
+  if (node.IsNull()){
+    LOG(INFO) << "No edge is set";
+    return Status::OK();
+  }
   if (!node.IsSequence()) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "edge is not set properly";
     return Status(StatusCode::InvalidSchema, "edge is not set properly");
diff --git a/python/graphscope/gsctl/gsctl.py b/python/graphscope/gsctl/gsctl.py
index dec78db1ff60..0adaddbcf26c 100644
--- a/python/graphscope/gsctl/gsctl.py
+++ b/python/graphscope/gsctl/gsctl.py
@@ -26,11 +26,25 @@
         0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)), "..", "..")
     )
 
-from graphscope.gsctl.commands import get_command_collection
-from graphscope.gsctl.config import get_current_context
+try:
+    import graphscope
+    from graphscope.gsctl.commands import get_command_collection
+    from graphscope.gsctl.config import get_current_context
+except ModuleNotFoundError:
+    # if graphscope is not installed, only basic functions or utilities
+    # can be used, e.g. install dependencies
+    graphscope = None
 
 
 def cli():
+    if graphscope is None:
+        sys.path.insert(
+            0, os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)), "commands")
+        )
+        from dev import cli as dev_cli
+
+        dev_cli()
+
     context = get_current_context()
     # get the specified commands under the FLEX architecture
     commands = get_command_collection(context)
diff --git a/python/graphscope/gsctl/tests/test_interactive.py b/python/graphscope/gsctl/tests/test_interactive.py
index 87035dfd14cd..c6f54a17e75e 100644
--- a/python/graphscope/gsctl/tests/test_interactive.py
+++ b/python/graphscope/gsctl/tests/test_interactive.py
@@ -97,6 +97,34 @@
     },
 }
 
+modern_graph_vertex_only = {
+    "name": "modern_graph",
+    "description": "This is a test graph, only contains vertex",
+    "schema": {
+        "vertex_types": [
+            {
+                "type_name": "person",
+                "properties": [
+                    {
+                        "property_name": "id",
+                        "property_type": {"primitive_type": "DT_SIGNED_INT64"},
+                    },
+                    {
+                        "property_name": "name",
+                        "property_type": {"string": {"long_text": ""}},
+                    },
+                    {
+                        "property_name": "age",
+                        "property_type": {"primitive_type": "DT_SIGNED_INT32"},
+                    },
+                ],
+                "primary_keys": ["id"],
+            }
+        ],
+        "edge_types": [],
+    },
+}
+
 
 modern_graph_datasource = {
     "vertex_mappings": [
@@ -355,5 +383,15 @@ def test_suit_case(self):
         assert stored_procedure_id == "procedure_name"
         delete_graph_by_id(graph_id_2)
 
+    def test_start_service_on_vertex_only_graph(self):
+        graph_id = create_graph(modern_graph_vertex_only)
+        start_service(graph_id)
+        status = list_service_status()
+        for s in status:
+            if s.graph_id == graph_id:
+                assert s.status == "Running"
+            else:
+                assert s.status == "Stopped"
+
     def teardown_class(self):
         disconnect_coordinator()