diff --git a/product/ERP5/Document/Document.py b/product/ERP5/Document/Document.py
index da5ea5cee970813fdfe19e3b4826d345698969e5..fe6147328ab31ee9103a6d1d14088c7c7986b0a8 100644
--- a/product/ERP5/Document/Document.py
+++ b/product/ERP5/Document/Document.py
@@ -965,7 +965,7 @@ class Document(XMLObject, UrlMixIn, ConversionCacheMixin, SnapshotMixin):
         fallback_script_id = 'Document_getPreferredDocumentMetadataDiscoveryOrderList')
     order_list = list(method())
     order_list.reverse()
-    # Start with everything until content - build a dictionary according to the order
+    # build a dictionary according to the order
     kw = {}
     for order_id in order_list:
       result = None
@@ -1071,6 +1071,8 @@ class Document(XMLObject, UrlMixIn, ConversionCacheMixin, SnapshotMixin):
       A private method which converts to HTML. This method
       is the one to override in subclasses.
     """
+    if not self.getData():
+      return ''
     if self.hasConversion(format='base-html'):
       mime, data = self.getConversion(format='base-html')
       return data
@@ -1084,6 +1086,8 @@ class Document(XMLObject, UrlMixIn, ConversionCacheMixin, SnapshotMixin):
       (without html and body tags, etc.) which can be used to inline
       a preview of the document.
     """
+    if not self.getData():
+      return ''
     if self.hasConversion(format='stripped-html'): # XXX this is redundant since we never set it
       mime, data = self.getConversion(format='stripped-html')
       return data