diff --git a/htdocs/core/lib/files.lib.php b/htdocs/core/lib/files.lib.php
index 744a1326e69..73fa3cf6703 100644
--- a/htdocs/core/lib/files.lib.php
+++ b/htdocs/core/lib/files.lib.php
@@ -1200,17 +1200,20 @@ function dol_delete_file($file,$disableglob=0,$nophperrors=0,$nohook=0,$object=n
 						{
 							$rel_filetodelete = preg_replace('/^[\\/]/', '', $rel_filetodelete);
 
-							dol_syslog("Try to remove also entries in database for full relative path = ".$rel_filetodelete, LOG_DEBUG);
-							include_once DOL_DOCUMENT_ROOT.'/ecm/class/ecmfiles.class.php';
-							$ecmfile=new EcmFiles($db);
-							$result = $ecmfile->fetch(0, '', $rel_filetodelete);
-							if ($result >= 0 && $ecmfile->id > 0)
+							if (is_object($db))		// $db may not be defined when lib is in a context with define('NOREQUIREDB',1)
 							{
-								$result = $ecmfile->delete($user);
-							}
-							if ($result < 0)
-							{
-								setEventMessages($ecmfile->error, $ecmfile->errors, 'warnings');
+								dol_syslog("Try to remove also entries in database for full relative path = ".$rel_filetodelete, LOG_DEBUG);
+								include_once DOL_DOCUMENT_ROOT.'/ecm/class/ecmfiles.class.php';
+								$ecmfile=new EcmFiles($db);
+								$result = $ecmfile->fetch(0, '', $rel_filetodelete);
+								if ($result >= 0 && $ecmfile->id > 0)
+								{
+									$result = $ecmfile->delete($user);
+								}
+								if ($result < 0)
+								{
+									setEventMessages($ecmfile->error, $ecmfile->errors, 'warnings');
+								}
 							}
 						}
 					}