diff --git a/gear/distribute b/gear/distribute
index 5d22d18..f084bdd 100755
--- a/gear/distribute
+++ b/gear/distribute
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ require 'deployment'
 
 def read_gear_registry
   gears = []
+if File.exists?(File.join(ENV['OPENSHIFT_HOMEDIR'], 'haproxy-1.4', 'conf', 'gear-registry.db'))
   File.open(File.join(ENV['OPENSHIFT_HOMEDIR'], 'haproxy-1.4', 'conf', 'gear-registry.db')).each do |line|
     # eade013180c842af98947e5728e88c1e@10.7.14.215:ruby-1.9;eade013180-andy.ose.rhc.redhat.com
     if line =~ /([^@]+)@([^:]+):/
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ def read_gear_registry
       gears << [uuid, host]
     end
   end
+end
   gears
 end