diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/community/controllers/repository.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/community/controllers/repository.py
index b1de9372550..b61e8e88b18 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/community/controllers/repository.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/community/controllers/repository.py
@@ -1333,10 +1333,14 @@ class RepositoryController( BaseUIController, ItemRatings ):
         repository_metadata = get_repository_metadata_by_changeset_revision( trans, trans.security.encode_id( repository.id ), changeset_revision )
         metadata = repository_metadata.metadata
         if metadata and 'readme' in metadata:
-             f = open( metadata[ 'readme' ], 'r' )
-             text = f.read()
-             f.close()
-             return str( text )
+            try:
+                f = open( metadata[ 'readme' ], 'r' )
+                text = f.read()
+                f.close()
+                return str( text )
+            except Exception, e:
+                log.debug( "Error attempting to read README file '%s' defined in metadata for repository '%s', revision '%s': %s" % \
+                           ( str( metadata[ 'readme' ] ), str( repository_name ), str( changeset_revision ), str( e ) ) )
         return ''
     @web.expose
     def get_tool_dependencies( self, trans, **kwd ):
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/admin_toolshed.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/admin_toolshed.py
index 5d79de1379c..85e660a5fd8 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/admin_toolshed.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/controllers/admin_toolshed.py
@@ -1764,10 +1764,15 @@ class AdminToolshed( AdminGalaxy ):
             readme_filename = metadata[ 'readme' ]
             if tool_path:
                 readme_filename = os.path.join( tool_path, readme_filename )
-            f = open( readme_filename, 'r' )
-            raw_text = f.read()
-            f.close()
-            readme_text = translate_string( raw_text, to_html=True )
+            try:
+                f = open( readme_filename, 'r' )
+                raw_text = f.read()
+                f.close()
+                readme_text = translate_string( raw_text, to_html=True )
+            except Exception, e:
+                log.debug( "Error attempting to read README file '%s' defined in metadata for repository '%s', revision '%s': %s" % \
+                           ( str( readme_filename ), str( repository.name ), str( repository.changeset_revision ), str( e ) ) )
+                readme_text = ''
         else:
             readme_text = ''
         is_malicious = False