diff --git a/model_server/clients/ilastik_map_objects.py b/model_server/clients/ilastik_map_objects.py
index 48ae65953e6388e6b9ff04dd681c9b763c94c078..c395a31fb704821ced3a970dcf58bd07d04079ff 100644
--- a/model_server/clients/ilastik_map_objects.py
+++ b/model_server/clients/ilastik_map_objects.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def main(request_func, in_abspath, params):
 	
 	px_ilp = params['pixel_classifier_path']
 	ob_ilp = params['object_classifier_path']
-	channel = getattr(params, 'channel', None)
+	channel = params.get('channel', None)
 	mip = params.get('mip', False)
 	
 	# configure input and output paths