diff --git a/src/caosdb/common/models.py b/src/caosdb/common/models.py
index 1165ced5ea4371b1c33ec5843cc7a4d32fef249b..4acbcd1a0eed1bef32cd70d8625cef8b869a2a46 100644
--- a/src/caosdb/common/models.py
+++ b/src/caosdb/common/models.py
@@ -2548,7 +2548,7 @@ class Messages(list):
             code = None
         m = self.get(type, code)
         if m is None:
-            return
+            raise KeyError()
         if m.description:
             return (m.description, m.body)
         else: