diff --git a/Tools/PyUtils/python/MetaReader.py b/Tools/PyUtils/python/MetaReader.py
index 93aabdd20a3b8729f817a05a061d9596a3f9b712..36e320f1c1eda3c335ca1867c1aa5f426df2d3b6 100644
--- a/Tools/PyUtils/python/MetaReader.py
+++ b/Tools/PyUtils/python/MetaReader.py
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ def read_metadata(filenames, file_type=None, mode='lite', meta_key_filter= []):
 			current_file = ROOT.TFile(filename)
 
 			# open the tree 'POOLContainer' to read the number of entries
-			meta_dict[filename]['nentries'] = current_file.Get('POOLContainer').GetEntriesFast()
+			if current_file.GetListOfKeys().Contains('POOLContainer'):
+				meta_dict[filename]['nentries'] = current_file.Get('POOLContainer').GetEntriesFast()
+			else:
+				meta_dict[filename]['nentries'] = None
 
 			# read and add the 'GUID' value
 			meta_dict[filename]['file_guid'] = _read_guid(filename)