diff --git a/Control/AthenaConfiguration/python/GeoModelConfigFlags.py b/Control/AthenaConfiguration/python/GeoModelConfigFlags.py
index 53fea8c5945ff2f91eaf28805dcc695a22bf0a00..077dde3dfd56635d44c254c140d5d5cbea41733c 100644
--- a/Control/AthenaConfiguration/python/GeoModelConfigFlags.py
+++ b/Control/AthenaConfiguration/python/GeoModelConfigFlags.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from AthenaConfiguration.AutoConfigFlags import GetFileMD, GetDetDescrInfo
 def createGeoModelConfigFlags():
     gcf=AthConfigFlags()
     gcf.addFlag('GeoModel.Layout', 'atlas') # replaces global.GeoLayout
-    gcf.addFlag("GeoModel.AtlasVersion", lambda prevFlags : GetFileMD(prevFlags.Input.Files).get("GeoAtlas",None) or "ATLAS-R2-2016-01-00-01") #
+    gcf.addFlag("GeoModel.AtlasVersion", lambda prevFlags : (prevFlags.Input.Files and prevFlags.Input.Files != ["_ATHENA_GENERIC_INPUTFILE_NAME_"] and GetFileMD(prevFlags.Input.Files).get("GeoAtlas",None)) or "ATLAS-R2-2016-01-00-01") #
     gcf.addFlag("GeoModel.Align.Dynamic", lambda prevFlags : (not prevFlags.Detector.Simulate and not prevFlags.Input.isMC))
     gcf.addFlag("GeoModel.StripGeoType", lambda prevFlags : GetDetDescrInfo(prevFlags.GeoModel.AtlasVersion).get('StripGeoType',"GMX")) # Based on CommonGeometryFlags.StripGeoType
     gcf.addFlag("GeoModel.Run", lambda prevFlags : GetDetDescrInfo(prevFlags.GeoModel.AtlasVersion).get('Run',"RUN2")) # Based on CommonGeometryFlags.Run (InDetGeometryFlags.isSLHC replaced by GeoModel.Run=="RUN4")