diff --git a/tools/distrib/check_copyright.py b/tools/distrib/check_copyright.py
index ef836d6e2da4b6633ae08580b93058635c78a58f..d1a34a920dcda0b9f9bc9445bdc23ff2ecd5de45 100755
--- a/tools/distrib/check_copyright.py
+++ b/tools/distrib/check_copyright.py
@@ -131,8 +131,14 @@ def log(cond, why, filename):
 
 # scan files, validate the text
 ok = True
-for filename in subprocess.check_output(FILE_LIST_COMMAND,
-                                        shell=True).splitlines():
+filename_list = []
+try:
+  filename_list = subprocess.check_output(FILE_LIST_COMMAND,
+                                          shell=True).splitlines()
+except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+  sys.exit(0)
+
+for filename in filename_list:
   if filename in KNOWN_BAD: continue
   ext = os.path.splitext(filename)[1]
   base = os.path.basename(filename)