diff --git a/parser/parser-elastic/elastic_parser_input_exciting.py b/parser/parser-elastic/elastic_parser_input_exciting.py
index 63b69f08b8be3b89afc4e7d10e67a10e423e7210..78b4dd6ac9de60b51932d957ac519dc9f826e4e2 100644
--- a/parser/parser-elastic/elastic_parser_input_exciting.py
+++ b/parser/parser-elastic/elastic_parser_input_exciting.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class InputHandler(xml.sax.handler.ContentHandler):
         self.atomCoorDummy = []
         self.speciesfileDummy = ''
         self.speciesfile = []
-        self.scale = 1
+        self.scale = 1.0
         self.cell = []
         self.cellDummy = []
 
@@ -49,7 +49,10 @@ class InputHandler(xml.sax.handler.ContentHandler):
     def startElement(self, name, attrs):
         self.CurrentData = name
         if name == "crystal":
-            self.scale = float(attrs.getValue('scale'))
+            try:
+                self.scale = float(attrs.getValue('scale'))
+            except:
+                self.scale = 1.0
         elif name == 'species':
             self.speciesfileDummy = attrs.getValue('speciesfile')[:-4]
         elif name == 'atom':