diff --git a/DataQuality/DataQualityUtils/python/hancoolmod.py b/DataQuality/DataQualityUtils/python/hancoolmod.py
index 44fbefc5b49a40e6ae9817d436099558dfbf5ccb..d35e805170c04f570de5d0ab548069f97ff1d7da 100644
--- a/DataQuality/DataQualityUtils/python/hancoolmod.py
+++ b/DataQuality/DataQualityUtils/python/hancoolmod.py
@@ -510,7 +510,11 @@ def hancool_defects(runNumber, filePath="./", dbConnection="", db_tag='HEAD', is
         globname = fnames[0][0]
         filename = os.path.basename(globname)    
         since, until = getLimits(filename)
-        defects += pix_defect.execute(runNumber, globname, until-1)
+        try:
+            defects += pix_defect.execute(runNumber, globname, until-1)
+        except Exception, e:
+            logging.warning('Unable to execute pixel hancool code')
+            logging.warning('--> %s: %s' % (type(e).__name__, e))
 
     from DQDefects import DefectsDB
     ddb = DefectsDB(dbConnection, read_only=False)