diff --git a/authorities/authorities.pl b/authorities/authorities.pl
index fa595114ef..5837a76e57 100755
--- a/authorities/authorities.pl
+++ b/authorities/authorities.pl
@@ -638,12 +638,12 @@ if ($op eq "add") {
 } else {
     if ( $op eq "duplicate" ) {
         $authid = "";
-        if ( C4::Context->preference('marcflavour') eq 'MARC21' && $record->field('008') ) {
+        if ( C4::Context->preference('marcflavour') eq 'MARC21' && $record && $record->field('008') ) {
             my $s008 = $record->field('008')->data;
             my $date = POSIX::strftime( "%y%m%d", localtime );
             substr( $s008, 0, 6, $date );
             $record->field('008')->update($s008);
-        } elsif ( C4::Context->preference('marcflavour') eq 'UNIMARC' && $record->subfield( '100', 'a' ) ) {
+        } elsif ( C4::Context->preference('marcflavour') eq 'UNIMARC' && $record && $record->subfield( '100', 'a' ) ) {
             my $s100a = $record->subfield( '100', 'a' );
             my $date  = POSIX::strftime( "%Y%m%d", localtime );
             substr( $s100a, 0, 8, $date );