diff --git a/htdocs/core/lib/files.lib.php b/htdocs/core/lib/files.lib.php
index b2244e9b174..45253d6a441 100644
--- a/htdocs/core/lib/files.lib.php
+++ b/htdocs/core/lib/files.lib.php
@@ -1789,8 +1789,13 @@ function addFileIntoDatabaseIndex($dir, $file, $fullpathorig = '', $mode = 'uplo
 
 		if (is_object($object) && $object->id > 0) {
 			$ecmfile->src_object_id = $object->id;
-			if (isset($object->table_element)) $ecmfile->src_object_type = $object->table_element;
-			if (isset($object->src_object_description)) $ecmfile->description = $object->src_object_description;
+			if (isset($object->table_element)) {
+				$ecmfile->src_object_type = $object->table_element;
+				if (isset($object->src_object_description)) $ecmfile->description = $object->src_object_description;
+			} else {
+				dol_syslog('Error: object ' . get_class($object) . ' has no table_element attribute.');
+				return -1;
+			}
 			if (isset($object->src_object_keywords)) $ecmfile->keywords = $object->src_object_keywords;
 		}