diff --git a/opentech/apply/stream_forms/fields.py b/opentech/apply/stream_forms/fields.py
index b2b0f44fa3219aee7bbddd59cc6465cb8e9f28ee..d0b240eb3990173e90f1ff595c4da64d060f03d4 100644
--- a/opentech/apply/stream_forms/fields.py
+++ b/opentech/apply/stream_forms/fields.py
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ class MultiFileField(FileField):
             return initial
         new = [FileField().clean(file, initial) for file in files]
 
-        old = [file for i, file in enumerate(initial) if i not in cleared]
+        if initial:
+            old = [file for i, file in enumerate(initial) if i not in cleared]
+        else:
+            old = []
 
         return old + new