diff --git a/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx b/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
index 373054b..9406029 100644
--- a/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
+++ b/python/obitools3/uri/decode.pyx
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def open_uri(uri,
             iseq = urib
             objclass = bytes
     else:  # TODO update uopen to be able to write? 
-        if config['obi']['outputformat'] == b'metabaR':
+        if 'outputformat' in config['obi'] and config['obi']['outputformat'] == b'metabaR':
             if 'metabarprefix' not in config['obi']:
                 raise Exception("Prefix needed when exporting for metabaR (--metabaR-prefix option)")
             else: