diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Template.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Template.pm
index 108e1e55d..68c7a611e 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Template.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Template.pm
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ sub tabdb
    my $blankok = shift;
    
    
-   if( defined(%::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH) && defined( $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{$table}) && defined( $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{$table}{$key}) ) {
+   if( %::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH && defined( $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{$table}) && defined( $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{$table}{$key}) ) {
         if( defined($::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{$table}{$key}{$field}) ) {
              return $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{$table}{$key}{$field};
         } else {