diff --git a/submissions/forms.py b/submissions/forms.py
index 91af6fbb628b152f329b5c8be4cc165c4078dfae..fe415fecf006e8663cd2814c87cdc62888f2c3e3 100644
--- a/submissions/forms.py
+++ b/submissions/forms.py
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ class iThenticateReportForm(forms.ModelForm):
         elif hasattr(self, 'document_id'):
             self.response = self.call_ithenticate()
 
-        if self.response:
+        if hasattr(self, 'response') and self.response:
             return cleaned_data
         # Don't return anything as someone submitted invalid data for the form at this point!
         return None