diff --git a/utilities.py b/utilities.py
index bcee45e1c931fc5330951ecbad078089d27e6181..7d4a0b06391c186bfbf5d88d307e0d5c949ce80d 100755
--- a/utilities.py
+++ b/utilities.py
@@ -179,7 +179,8 @@ def get_sp_picture(sp_dict_list):
         gspecies = get_gspecies_string_from_sp_dict(sp)
         if gspecies not in sp_picture_dict.keys() or ( constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_MAIN_SPECIES in sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC].keys() and
                                                            sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC][constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_MAIN_SPECIES] == True ):
-            if sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_PICTURE_PATH] != "":
+            if constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_PICTURE_PATH in sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC].keys() and \
+                    sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC][constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_PICTURE_PATH] != "":
                 sp_picture_dict[gspecies] = sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_PICTURE_PATH]
 
     return sp_picture_dict