diff --git a/matlab/TCV_IMAS/tcv_get_ids_nbi.m b/matlab/TCV_IMAS/tcv_get_ids_nbi.m
index 45a1c1d0f6d654453d51f30d64bf6bf66f74deac..eb6777a57379ad39f8a123d920802c65c8fca11e 100644
--- a/matlab/TCV_IMAS/tcv_get_ids_nbi.m
+++ b/matlab/TCV_IMAS/tcv_get_ids_nbi.m
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ for iunit=1:nb_units
   %% power
   params_eff.data_request = ['\results::' results_subname{iunit} ':powr_tcv'];
   pow=gdat_tcv(shot,params_eff);
+  if ischar(pow.data)
+    pow.data=0;
+  end
   ids_nbi.unit{iunit}.power_launched.data = pow.data*1e6;
   ids_nbi.unit{iunit}.power_launched.time = pow.t;
   ids_nbi_description.unit{iunit}.power_launched = params_eff.data_request;