diff --git a/mayan/apps/ocr/tasks.py b/mayan/apps/ocr/tasks.py
index bcb7b6ecca..9bb1a8efbd 100644
--- a/mayan/apps/ocr/tasks.py
+++ b/mayan/apps/ocr/tasks.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ def task_do_ocr(document_pk):
         # concurrently
         lock = Lock.acquire_lock(lock_id, LOCK_EXPIRE)
         logger.debug('acquired lock: %s' % lock_id)
+        document = None
         try:
             logger.info('Starting document OCR for document: %d' % document_pk)
             document = Document.objects.get(pk=document_pk)
@@ -34,19 +35,20 @@ def task_do_ocr(document_pk):
         except Exception as exception:
             logger.error('OCR error for document: %d; %s' % (document_pk, exception))
             document_queue = DocumentQueue.objects.get(name='default')
-            queue_document, created = document_queue.documents.get_or_create(document=document)
-            queue_document.node_name = platform.node()
+            if document:
+                queue_document, created = document_queue.documents.get_or_create(document=document)
+                queue_document.node_name = platform.node()
 
-            if settings.DEBUG:
-                result = []
-                type, value, tb = sys.exc_info()
-                result.append('%s: %s' % (type.__name__, value))
-                result.extend(traceback.format_tb(tb))
-                queue_document.result = '\n'.join(result)
-            else:
-                queue_document.result = exception
+                if settings.DEBUG:
+                    result = []
+                    type, value, tb = sys.exc_info()
+                    result.append('%s: %s' % (type.__name__, value))
+                    result.extend(traceback.format_tb(tb))
+                    queue_document.result = '\n'.join(result)
+                else:
+                    queue_document.result = exception
 
-            queue_document.save()
+                queue_document.save()
         else:
             logger.info('OCR for document: %d ended' % document_pk)
             document_queue = DocumentQueue.objects.get(name='default')