diff --git a/apps/converter/backends/python/base.py b/apps/converter/backends/python/base.py
index dddfa71e7e..c7a96a216d 100644
--- a/apps/converter/backends/python/base.py
+++ b/apps/converter/backends/python/base.py
@@ -30,7 +30,10 @@ class ConverterClass(ConverterBase):
             # If file is a PDF open it with slate to determine the page
             # count
             with open(input_filepath) as fd:
-                pages = slate.PDF(fd)
+                try:
+                    pages = slate.PDF(fd)
+                except:
+                    return 1
             return len(pages)
             
         try: