diff --git a/notifications_routing/router.py b/notifications_routing/router.py
index 49a1e52222298660f62b3f37c3ad137465db0839..c8a69f2fe62777edad6e12b698593aca55cfae33 100644
--- a/notifications_routing/router.py
+++ b/notifications_routing/router.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class Router(megabus.Listener):
 
         category_name = (
             channel[str(InputMessageKeys.CATEGORY)][str(InputMessageKeys.NAME)]
-            if str(InputMessageKeys.CATEGORY) in channel
+            if channel.get(str(InputMessageKeys.CATEGORY)) in channel
             else None
         )