diff --git a/tycho-source-feature-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/extras/sourcefeature/SourceFeatureMojo.java b/tycho-source-feature-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/extras/sourcefeature/SourceFeatureMojo.java

index 05baf87..2c62fb0 100644

--- a/tycho-source-feature-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/extras/sourcefeature/SourceFeatureMojo.java

+++ b/tycho-source-feature-plugin/src/main/java/org/eclipse/tycho/extras/sourcefeature/SourceFeatureMojo.java

@@ -515,15 +515,19 @@ public class SourceFeatureMojo extends AbstractMojo {

     }

     private String getAttribute(PlexusConfiguration dom, String attrName) {

-        String attr = dom.getAttribute(attrName);

-        if (attr == null) {

-            return null;

-        }

-        attr = attr.trim();

-        if (attr.length() == 0) {

+        try {

+            String attr = dom.getAttribute(attrName);

+            if (attr == null) {

+                return null;

+            }

+            attr = attr.trim();

+            if (attr.length() == 0) {

+                return null;

+            }

+            return attr;

+        } catch (Exception e) {

             return null;

         }

-        return attr;

     }

 }