diff --git a/rooibos/presentation/static/presentation/viewer.js b/rooibos/presentation/static/presentation/viewer.js
index e2b67d98b..ff028ebdf 100644
--- a/rooibos/presentation/static/presentation/viewer.js
+++ b/rooibos/presentation/static/presentation/viewer.js
@@ -533,13 +533,15 @@ var Viewer = function (options) {
             // if sequence items don't have metadata, copy manifest metadata
             // into each sequence item
             var metadata = manifest.jsonLd.metadata;
-            manifest.jsonLd.sequences.forEach(function (sequence) {
-                sequence.canvases.forEach(function (canvas) {
-                    if (!canvas.metadata || !canvas.metadata.length) {
-                        canvas.metadata = metadata;
-                    }
+            if (manifest.jsonLd.sequences) {
+                manifest.jsonLd.sequences.forEach(function (sequence) {
+                    sequence.canvases.forEach(function (canvas) {
+                        if (!canvas.metadata || !canvas.metadata.length) {
+                            canvas.metadata = metadata;
+                        }
+                    });
                 });
-            });
+            }
         }
     );