diff --git a/common-tools/clas-detector/src/main/java/org/jlab/detector/decode/CodaEventDecoder.java b/common-tools/clas-detector/src/main/java/org/jlab/detector/decode/CodaEventDecoder.java
index bef9ba4504..3a7703dad1 100644
--- a/common-tools/clas-detector/src/main/java/org/jlab/detector/decode/CodaEventDecoder.java
+++ b/common-tools/clas-detector/src/main/java/org/jlab/detector/decode/CodaEventDecoder.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import org.jlab.coda.jevio.ByteDataTransformer;
 import org.jlab.coda.jevio.CompositeData;
 import org.jlab.coda.jevio.DataType;
+import org.jlab.coda.jevio.EvioCompactStructureHandler;
 import org.jlab.coda.jevio.EvioException;
 import org.jlab.coda.jevio.EvioNode;
 import org.jlab.detector.decode.DetectorDataDgtz.ADCData;
@@ -309,6 +310,8 @@ public List<EvioTreeBranch>  getEventBranches(EvioDataEvent event){
         ArrayList<EvioTreeBranch>  branches = new ArrayList<>();
         try {
 
+            EvioCompactStructureHandler ecsh = event.getStructureHandler();
+            if (ecsh == null) return branches;
             List<EvioNode>  eventNodes = event.getStructureHandler().getNodes();
             if(eventNodes==null){
                 return branches;
diff --git a/common-tools/clas-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/evio/EvioDataEventHandler.java b/common-tools/clas-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/evio/EvioDataEventHandler.java
index cae3f5c028..f028b4cd85 100644
--- a/common-tools/clas-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/evio/EvioDataEventHandler.java
+++ b/common-tools/clas-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/evio/EvioDataEventHandler.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public EvioDataEventHandler(ByteBuffer buff){
         try {
             structure = new EvioCompactStructureHandler(evioBuffer,DataType.BANK);
             eventNodes = structure.getChildNodes();
-        } catch (EvioException ex) {
+        } catch (EvioException | IndexOutOfBoundsException | NullPointerException ex) {
             Logger.getLogger(EvioDataEvent.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
         }
         //this.list();