diff --git a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/drawing/svgwriter.py b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/drawing/svgwriter.py
index 74b3b06642..eba6c3c1e8 100644
--- a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/drawing/svgwriter.py
+++ b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/drawing/svgwriter.py
@@ -528,8 +528,9 @@ class SvgWriter:
         product = tool.Drawing.get_assigned_product(element)
         selector = ifcopenshell.util.selector.Selector
         variables = {}
-        for variable in re.findall("{{.*?}}", literal):
-            literal = literal.replace(variable, selector.get_element_value(product, variable[2:-2]) or "")
+        if product != None:
+            for variable in re.findall("{{.*?}}", literal):
+                literal = literal.replace(variable, str(selector.get_element_value(product, variable[2:-2]) or ""))
 
         for line_number, text_line in enumerate(literal.replace("\\n", "\n").split("\n")):
             self.svg.add(
diff --git a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/tool/drawing.py b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/tool/drawing.py
index 62388b23b7..3dbab91995 100644
--- a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/tool/drawing.py
+++ b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/tool/drawing.py
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ class Drawing(blenderbim.core.tool.Drawing):
             selector = ifcopenshell.util.selector.Selector()
             variables = {}
             for variable in re.findall("{{.*?}}", value):
-                value = value.replace(variable, selector.get_element_value(product, variable[2:-2]) or "")
+                value = value.replace(variable, str(selector.get_element_value(product, variable[2:-2]) or ""))
         obj.BIMTextProperties.value = value
 
     # TODO below this point is highly experimental prototype code with no tests