diff --git a/common/python/nomadcore/smart_parser/SmartParserCommon.py b/common/python/nomadcore/smart_parser/SmartParserCommon.py
index 2306446ea2cd9b27654d649d657e232dc3d521dc..3dcb371fb07a7aa05dd23935f0f6528e63aecbc4 100644
--- a/common/python/nomadcore/smart_parser/SmartParserCommon.py
+++ b/common/python/nomadcore/smart_parser/SmartParserCommon.py
@@ -226,7 +226,8 @@ class ParserBase(object):
         supB = backend.superBackend
         if self.topology:
             topoDict = self.topology.topoDict
-            system_name = topoDict["system_name"]
+            if "system_name" in topoDict:
+                system_name = topoDict["system_name"]
         if system_name is not None:
             supB.addValue('system_name', str(system_name))