diff --git a/downloadversionIRdata.py b/downloadversionIRdata.py
index afa7bbda57191a9475ea058ef046958cd6c8a12f..e411594b8de30e873f85fe36deb9e6ceb929686c 100644
--- a/downloadversionIRdata.py
+++ b/downloadversionIRdata.py
@@ -585,16 +585,25 @@ def get_NUCed_coldframe_by_program(port, program, exposure=None, version=0, plot
                NUCed cold frame
     """
     if exposure is None:
-        exist, t, exposure = get_exposure_by_program(port, program, version=version)
+        try:
+            exist, t, exposure = get_exposure_by_program(port, program, version=version)
+        except:
+            print('get_NUCed_coldframe_by_program: ERROR! no exposure time found!')
+            return False, []
+            
         t_exp = exposure[0]
     else:
         if verbose>0:
             print('get_NUCed_coldframe_by_program: using exposure time {0}'.format(exposure))
         t_exp = exposure
-    exist, data, desc = get_NUC_by_program(port, program, t_exp, version=version, verbose=verbose-1)
+    try:
+        exist, data, desc = get_NUC_by_program(port, program, t_exp, version=version, verbose=verbose-1)
+    except:
+        print('get_NUCed_coldframe_by_program: ERROR! no cold frame found!')
+        return False, []
+    
     if exist:
         cold_raw = data[2]
-        
         porg_nr = int(program.split('.')[1])
         
         ref_program = '{0}.{1:03d}'.format(program.split('.')[0], porg_nr-1)
@@ -606,7 +615,7 @@ def get_NUCed_coldframe_by_program(port, program, exposure=None, version=0, plot
         else:
             ref_program = '{0}.{1:03d}'.format(program.split('.')[0], porg_nr+1)
             if verbose>0:
-                print('get_NUCed_coldframe_by_program: program {0} is first of day.\n   --> using NUC of {1}'.format(program, ref_program))
+                print('get_NUCed_coldframe_by_program: program {0} has no predecessor.\n   --> using NUC of {1}'.format(program, ref_program))
             exist2, data, desc = get_NUC_by_program(port, ref_program, t_exp, version=version, verbose=verbose-1)
             if exist2:
                 coldframe = apply_NUC([cold_raw],data[0],data[1])[0]
@@ -3588,7 +3597,7 @@ if __name__=='__main__':
 
 #%% get hot cold image test
     port=10
-    program="20180904.015"
+    program="20180904.002"
     
     exist, coldframe = get_NUCed_coldframe_by_program(port, program, exposure=None, version=0, plot_it=True, verbose=3)
   
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