diff -up hplip-3.13.4/base/models.py.released_dat hplip-3.13.4/base/models.py
--- hplip-3.13.4/base/models.py.released_dat	2013-04-30 13:50:09.000000000 +0200
+++ hplip-3.13.4/base/models.py	2013-04-30 14:28:31.911784239 +0200
@@ -512,6 +512,9 @@ class ModelData:
         except:
             log.debug("Cache miss: %s" % model)
 
+            if not os.path.exists(self.released_dat):
+                return {}
+
             log.debug("Reading file: %s" % self.released_dat)
 
             if self.read_section(self.released_dat, model):