diff --git a/data_repo_renderer/__init__.py b/data_repo_renderer/__init__.py
index a6e1ff26af82ded431aa7292934f065f68cbf7b7..92270221a2e0e5c01cde8d322bb2a9a296bc084b 100644
--- a/data_repo_renderer/__init__.py
+++ b/data_repo_renderer/__init__.py
@@ -461,13 +461,19 @@ def cli_run_renderer(argvec=None):
 
     GitUpdate(yaml_dict, output_file=update_script)
 
-    # append all data download lines
-    for data in yaml_dict["data"]:
-        data["method"](data, output_file=update_script)
+    # append all data download lines (if any)
+    try:
+        for data in yaml_dict["data"]:
+            data["method"](data, output_file=update_script)
+    except KeyError as e:
+        pass
 
-    # append all doc download lines
-    for doc in yaml_dict["doc"]:
-        doc["method"](doc, output_file=update_script)
+    # append all doc download lines (if any)
+    try:
+        for doc in yaml_dict["doc"]:
+            doc["method"](doc, output_file=update_script)
+    except KeyError as e:
+        pass
 
     PostProcessing(yaml_dict, output_file=update_script)
     GitFinalize(yaml_dict, output_file=update_script)