diff --git a/parlai/scripts/data_stats.py b/parlai/scripts/data_stats.py
index 932f1793791..a92833d95db 100644
--- a/parlai/scripts/data_stats.py
+++ b/parlai/scripts/data_stats.py
@@ -108,12 +108,14 @@ def keep_token(t):
     while not world.epoch_done() and world.total_exs < max_cnt:
         world.parley()
         act = world.get_acts()[opt.get('agent')]
+        if act.is_padding():
+            continue
         for itype in {'input', 'labels'}:
             if itype == 'input':
                 if opt.get('new_line_new_utt'):
                     txts = act.get('text').split('\n')
                 else:
-                    txts = [act.get('text')]
+                    txts = [act.get('text', '')]
             else:
                 txts = act.get('labels', act.get('eval_labels', ['']))