diff --git a/tools/mace_tools.py b/tools/mace_tools.py
index 2f4abd28b82263cd6ad144a87868aab70dd0bb18..a9aebdc9b1b51ac07c5cc3e80f4028e1b84fc970 100644
--- a/tools/mace_tools.py
+++ b/tools/mace_tools.py
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ def main(unused_args):
         # Transfer params by environment
         os.environ["MODEL_TAG"] = model_name
         print '=======================', model_name, '======================='
-        skip_validation = configs["models"][model_name]["skip_validation"]
+        skip_validation = configs["models"][model_name].get("skip_validation", 0)
         model_config = configs["models"][model_name]
         for key in model_config:
           if key in ['input_nodes', 'output_nodes'] and isinstance(