diff --git a/src/nub.ts b/src/nub.ts
index 8f693b0a5f8c60731945da8bda2343d1d10f0d4f..e4809e58135d1c0b994b75d0e09dc9420369bfd4 100644
--- a/src/nub.ts
+++ b/src/nub.ts
@@ -1217,7 +1217,12 @@ export abstract class Nub extends ComputeNode implements IObservable {
      */
     public getFamily(symbol: string): ParamFamily {
         // is it a parameter ?
-        const p = this.getParameter(symbol);
+        let p;
+        try { // SectionNub.getParameter() (for ex.) throws exceptions
+            p = this.getParameter(symbol);
+        } catch (e) {
+            // silent fail
+        }
         if (p) {
             return p.family;
         }