diff --git a/src/caosdb/common/models.py b/src/caosdb/common/models.py
index 784def89b061af292b671ee4e31df1267f849d81..7473c0410615038716f4b60a37e36b7d29b8eaaf 100644
--- a/src/caosdb/common/models.py
+++ b/src/caosdb/common/models.py
@@ -3973,8 +3973,8 @@ def _evaluate_and_add_error(parent_error, ent):
 
     elif isinstance(ent, Container):
         parent_error.container = ent
-        parent_error.code = ent.get_errors()[0].code
         if ent.get_errors() is not None:
+            parent_error.code = ent.get_errors()[0].code
             # In the highly unusual case of more than one error
             # message, attach all of them.
             parent_error.msg = '\n'.join(