diff --git a/python/graphstorm/gconstruct/transform.py b/python/graphstorm/gconstruct/transform.py
index 140a4d0320..2ea7ac01c9 100644
--- a/python/graphstorm/gconstruct/transform.py
+++ b/python/graphstorm/gconstruct/transform.py
@@ -1726,7 +1726,9 @@ def parse_label_ops(confs, is_node):
     """
     label_confs = confs['labels']
     assert len(label_confs) >= 1, \
-        "There must be at least one label configuration under the 'labels' config block."
+        "If a 'labels' field is defined for a node type or an edge type in the " \
+        "configuration file, it should not be empty."
+
     def parse_label_conf(label_conf):
         assert 'task_type' in label_conf, "'task_type' must be defined in the label field."
         task_type = label_conf['task_type']
diff --git a/tests/end2end-tests/data_process/test_multitask_data.py b/tests/end2end-tests/data_process/test_multitask_data.py
index 0710510ee7..51c4e8f18a 100644
--- a/tests/end2end-tests/data_process/test_multitask_data.py
+++ b/tests/end2end-tests/data_process/test_multitask_data.py
@@ -44,11 +44,6 @@ def read_data_parquet(data_file):
 with open(args.conf_file, 'r') as f:
     conf = json.load(f)
 
-args = argparser.parse_args()
-out_dir = args.graph_dir
-with open(args.conf_file, 'r') as f:
-    conf = json.load(f)
-
 if args.graph_format == "DGL":
     g = dgl.load_graphs(os.path.join(out_dir, "test.dgl"))[0][0]
 elif args.graph_format == "DistDGL":