diff --git a/gammapy/irf/background.py b/gammapy/irf/background.py
index fe4ffec935c..a5e0757c1c9 100644
--- a/gammapy/irf/background.py
+++ b/gammapy/irf/background.py
@@ -92,17 +92,17 @@ def from_table(cls, table, format="gadf-dl3"):
 
         if (
             table.meta
-            and table.meta["CREATOR"] == "SASH FITS::EventListWriter"
-            and table.meta["HDUVERS"] == "0.2"
+            and table.meta.get("CREATOR", None) == "SASH FITS::EventListWriter"
+            and table.meta.get("HDUVERS", None) == "0.2"
         ):
             # longitude is reverse in this production
-            data = data.value[:, :, ::-1]
+            values = data.value[:, :, ::-1]
         else:
-            data = data.value
+            values = data.value
 
         return cls(
             axes=axes,
-            data=data,
+            data=values,
             meta=table.meta,
             unit=data.unit,
             is_pointlike=gadf_is_pointlike(table.meta),