diff --git a/yunohost_service.py b/yunohost_service.py
index 3f04d101..eae0fd3f 100644
--- a/yunohost_service.py
+++ b/yunohost_service.py
@@ -218,25 +218,28 @@ def _get_services():
 
 
 def _tail(file, n, offset=None):
-    """Reads a n lines from f with an offset of offset lines.  The return
+    """
+    Reads a n lines from f with an offset of offset lines.  The return
     value is a tuple in the form ``(lines, has_more)`` where `has_more` is
     an indicator that is `True` if there are more lines in the file.
+
     """
     avg_line_length = 74
     to_read = n + (offset or 0)
 
-    with open(file, 'r') as f:
-        while 1:
-            try:
-                f.seek(-(avg_line_length * to_read), 2)
-            except IOError:
-                # woops.  apparently file is smaller than what we want
-                # to step back, go to the beginning instead
-                f.seek(0)
-            pos = f.tell()
-            lines = f.read().splitlines()
-            if len(lines) >= to_read or pos == 0:
-                return lines[-to_read:offset and -offset or None] 
-                #return lines[-to_read:offset and -offset or None], \
-                #       len(lines) > to_read or pos > 0
-            avg_line_length *= 1.3
+    try:
+        with open(file, 'r') as f:
+            while 1:
+                try:
+                    f.seek(-(avg_line_length * to_read), 2)
+                except IOError:
+                    # woops.  apparently file is smaller than what we want
+                    # to step back, go to the beginning instead
+                    f.seek(0)
+                pos = f.tell()
+                lines = f.read().splitlines()
+                if len(lines) >= to_read or pos == 0:
+                    return lines[-to_read:offset and -offset or None] 
+                avg_line_length *= 1.3
+
+    except IOError: return []