diff --git a/utilities.py b/utilities.py
index e32d40c24e73a6238ef69c6e7366335d1579a9ca..7bdab413800aba2b75fb1f8660c204a22507311e 100755
--- a/utilities.py
+++ b/utilities.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ def get_sp_picture(sp_dict_list):
         if (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 )\
             and (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] != ""):
+                and sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC][constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_PICTURE_PATH] != None):
 
             sp_picture_dict[genus_species] = sp[constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC][constants.ORG_PARAM_DESC_PICTURE_PATH]