diff --git a/lib/storage/file.js b/lib/storage/file.js
index 60ff9dfc1..a60944771 100644
--- a/lib/storage/file.js
+++ b/lib/storage/file.js
@@ -392,7 +392,14 @@ var getDedicatedMetadata = function (env, channelId, handler, _cb) {
         readMore();
     }, function (err) {
         // ENOENT => there is no metadata log
-        if (!err || err.code === 'ENOENT') { return void cb(); }
+        if (!err || err.code === 'ENOENT') {
+            if (err && err.code === 'ENOENT') {
+                return readPlaceholder(env, channelId, (content) => {
+                    cb(content);
+                });
+            }
+            return void cb();
+        }
         // otherwise stream errors?
         cb(err);
     });
diff --git a/www/common/cryptget.js b/www/common/cryptget.js
index afc93b53d..233fa9cd4 100644
--- a/www/common/cryptget.js
+++ b/www/common/cryptget.js
@@ -193,6 +193,11 @@ define([
                 finish(Session, void 0, doc);
             });
         };
+
+        config.onChannelError = function (info) {
+            finish(Session, info);
+        };
+
         overwrite(config, opt);
 
         start(Session, config);