diff --git a/newsfragments/XXX.bugfix b/newsfragments/XXX.bugfix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0f7d62c41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/newsfragments/XXX.bugfix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add fix for pickle files
diff --git a/src/dxtbx/format/FormatPYmultitile.py b/src/dxtbx/format/FormatPYmultitile.py
index 3ff8153d8..e90c8ccef 100644
--- a/src/dxtbx/format/FormatPYmultitile.py
+++ b/src/dxtbx/format/FormatPYmultitile.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def understand(image_file):
             with FormatPYmultitile.open_file(image_file, "rb") as fh:
                 data = pickle.load(fh, encoding="bytes")
                 data = image_dict_to_unicode(data)
-        except OSError:
+        except (AttributeError, OSError):
             return False
 
         wanted_header_items = ["TILES", "METROLOGY"]
diff --git a/src/dxtbx/format/FormatPYunspecified.py b/src/dxtbx/format/FormatPYunspecified.py
index 1da479994..d384f7194 100644
--- a/src/dxtbx/format/FormatPYunspecified.py
+++ b/src/dxtbx/format/FormatPYunspecified.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def understand(image_file):
             with FormatPYunspecified.open_file(image_file, "rb") as fh:
                 data = pickle.load(fh, encoding="bytes")
                 data = image_dict_to_unicode(data)
-        except OSError:
+        except (AttributeError, OSError):
             return False
 
         headers = set(data)