diff --git a/spe2py.py b/spe2py.py
index f21848e..b8bba6d 100644
--- a/spe2py.py
+++ b/spe2py.py
@@ -158,12 +158,26 @@ def _get_wavelength(self):
         try:
             wavelength_string = StringIO(self.footer.SpeFormat.Calibrations.WavelengthMapping.Wavelength.cdata)
         except AttributeError:
-            print("XML Footer was not loaded prior to calling _get_wavelength")
-            raise
+            """
+            possibly because a calibration is present.
+            Try getting the WavelengthError.cdata instead of Wavelength.cdata when calibration is present.
+            """
+            try:
+                wavelengthErrorStr = self.footer.SpeFormat.Calibrations.WavelengthMapping.WavelengthError.cdata
+                wavelengthErrorStrStream = StringIO(wavelengthErrorStr.replace(" ", "\n"))
+                wavelengthError = np.loadtxt(wavelengthErrorStrStream, delimiter=',')
+                return wavelengthError[:,0]
+            except:
+                print("XML Footer was not loaded prior to calling _get_wavelength")
+                return
         except IndexError:
             print("XML Footer does not contain Wavelength Mapping information")
             return
 
+
+
+
+
         wavelength = np.loadtxt(wavelength_string, delimiter=',')
 
         return wavelength