diff --git a/onboard/Onboard/KeyboardSVG.py b/onboard/Onboard/KeyboardSVG.py

index b1b8fe3..08c125d 100644

--- a/onboard/Onboard/KeyboardSVG.py

+++ b/onboard/Onboard/KeyboardSVG.py

@@ -256,7 +256,11 @@ class KeyboardSVG(config.kbd_render_mixin, Keyboard):

         elif key.action_type == KeyCommon.MACRO_ACTION:

             label, text = config.snippets.get(string.atoi(key.action), \

                                                        (None, None))

-            tooltip = _("Snippet {}").format(key.action)

+            tooltip = ""

+            try:

+                tooltip = _("Snippet {}").format(key.action)

+            except KeyError,(strerror):

+                print "unknown error: %s" % (strerror)

             if not label:

                 #labels[0] = u"%s\n%s" % (_("Snippet"), key.action)

                 #labels[0] = "     ({})     ".format(key.action)