diff --git a/ram/portal/views.py b/ram/portal/views.py
index 52576e2..1542f76 100644
--- a/ram/portal/views.py
+++ b/ram/portal/views.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from urllib.parse import unquote
 
 from django.views import View
 from django.http import Http404, HttpResponseBadRequest
+from django.db.utils import OperationalError, ProgrammingError
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.shortcuts import render, get_object_or_404
 from django.core.exceptions import ObjectDoesNotExist
@@ -19,7 +20,11 @@ from metadata.models import Company, Manufacturer, Scale, RollingStockType, Tag
 
 
 def order_by_fields():
-    order_by = get_site_conf().items_ordering
+    try:
+        order_by = get_site_conf().items_ordering
+    except (OperationalError, ProgrammingError):
+        order_by = "type"
+
     fields = [
         "rolling_class__type",
         "rolling_class__company",
diff --git a/ram/ram/__init__.py b/ram/ram/__init__.py
index 65a063b..e8b139f 100644
--- a/ram/ram/__init__.py
+++ b/ram/ram/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 from ram.utils import git_suffix
 
-__version__ = "0.6.1"
+__version__ = "0.6.2"
 __version__ += git_suffix(__file__)