diff --git a/odoo/tools/translate.py b/odoo/tools/translate.py
index f69d37214bd..e92555f0109 100644
--- a/odoo/tools/translate.py
+++ b/odoo/tools/translate.py
@@ -1098,10 +1098,14 @@ def trans_load_data(cr, fileobj, fileformat, lang, lang_name=None, verbose=True,
 
             # discard the target from the POT targets.
             src = dic['src']
-            if src in pot_targets:
-                target = pot_targets[src]
-                target.value = dic['value']
-                target.targets.discard((dic['type'], dic['name'], dic['res_id']))
+            target = pot_targets.get(src)
+            if not target or (dic['type'], dic['name'], dic['res_id']) not in target.targets:
+                _logger.info("Translation '%s' (%s, %s, %s) not found in reference pot, skipping",
+                    src[:60], dic['type'], dic['name'], dic['res_id'])
+                return
+
+            target.value = dic['value']
+            target.targets.discard((dic['type'], dic['name'], dic['res_id']))
 
             # This would skip terms that fail to specify a res_id
             res_id = dic['res_id']