diff --git a/test/infamy/usb.py b/test/infamy/usb.py
index 2f7eb4ac..8bd64086 100644
--- a/test/infamy/usb.py
+++ b/test/infamy/usb.py
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 def _get_hardware(target):
     xpath="/ietf-hardware:hardware"
-    return target.get_data(xpath)["hardware"]
+    hw = target.get_data(xpath)
+    return {} if hw is None else hw.get("hardware", {})
 
 def get_usb_ports(target):
     hardware=_get_hardware(target)
     ports=[]
-    for component in hardware["component"]:
+    for component in hardware.get("component"):
         if component.get("class") == "infix-hardware:usb":
             ports.append(component["name"])
 
@@ -13,6 +14,6 @@ def get_usb_ports(target):
 
 def get_usb_state(target, name):
     hardware=_get_hardware(target)
-    for component in hardware["component"]:
+    for component in hardware.get("component"):
         if component.get("name") == name and component.get("class") == "infix-hardware:usb":
             return component["state"]["admin-state"]