diff --git a/rowers/dataprep.py b/rowers/dataprep.py
index eb3b6e8a..a857e0a8 100644
--- a/rowers/dataprep.py
+++ b/rowers/dataprep.py
@@ -2562,7 +2562,7 @@ def read_cols_df_sql(ids, columns, convertnewtons=True):
         try:
             df = pd.concat(data,axis=0)
         except ValueError:
-            df = pd.DataFrame()
+            return pd.DataFrame(), extracols
 
 
     df = df.fillna(value=0)