diff --git a/CRM/Dedupe/BAO/Rule.php b/CRM/Dedupe/BAO/Rule.php
index 73048c846c61..e2f19d57e310 100644
--- a/CRM/Dedupe/BAO/Rule.php
+++ b/CRM/Dedupe/BAO/Rule.php
@@ -62,14 +62,16 @@ public function sql() {
     $where = [];
     $on = ["SUBSTR(t1.{$this->rule_field}, 1, {$this->rule_length}) = SUBSTR(t2.{$this->rule_field}, 1, {$this->rule_length})"];
     $entity = CRM_Core_DAO_AllCoreTables::getBriefName(CRM_Core_DAO_AllCoreTables::getClassForTable($this->rule_table));
-    $fields = civicrm_api3($entity, 'getfields', ['action' => 'create'])['values'];
+    if (isset($entity)) {
+      $fields = civicrm_api3($entity, 'getfields', ['action' => 'create'])['values'];
+    }
 
     $innerJoinClauses = [
       "t1.{$this->rule_field} IS NOT NULL",
       "t2.{$this->rule_field} IS NOT NULL",
       "t1.{$this->rule_field} = t2.{$this->rule_field}",
     ];
-    if ($fields[$this->rule_field]['type'] === CRM_Utils_Type::T_DATE) {
+    if (isset($fields[$this->rule_field]['type']) && ($fields[$this->rule_field]['type'] === CRM_Utils_Type::T_DATE)) {
       $innerJoinClauses[] = "t1.{$this->rule_field} > '1000-01-01'";
       $innerJoinClauses[] = "t2.{$this->rule_field} > '1000-01-01'";
     }