diff --git a/bob/pad/face/database/batl.py b/bob/pad/face/database/batl.py
index 98db4eecddce027933b8b29f49099f693f2d306f..eb32c909109d92fdc7deb61c80766817bf5bab8b 100644
--- a/bob/pad/face/database/batl.py
+++ b/bob/pad/face/database/batl.py
@@ -283,6 +283,10 @@ class BatlPadDatabase(PadDatabase):
 
                 annotations = json.load(json_file)
 
+        if not annotations: # if dictionary is empty
+
+            return None
+
         return annotations