diff --git a/roles/osm-vector-maps/templates/iiab-update-map b/roles/osm-vector-maps/templates/iiab-update-map
index 02ca0e02d..3d72bba62 100755
--- a/roles/osm-vector-maps/templates/iiab-update-map
+++ b/roles/osm-vector-maps/templates/iiab-update-map
@@ -114,9 +114,12 @@ def get_installed_regions():
 
 def read_vector_map_idx():
    global previous_idx
-   with open(vector_map_idx_dir + '/vector-map-idx.json','r') as idx:
-      str = idx.read()
-      previous_idx = json.loads(str)
+   try: # will fail first time
+      with open(vector_map_idx_dir + '/vector-map-idx.json','r') as idx:
+         str = idx.read()
+         previous_idx = json.loads(str)
+   except:
+      pass
 
 def write_vector_map_idx(installed_maps):
    map_dict ={}