diff --git a/cal_tools/cal_tools/tools.py b/cal_tools/cal_tools/tools.py
index ab242cc61052cf904d5ca115694d5eb89e1b6ea8..8036b7ac488f7a621267ded32729cf722ff56101 100644
--- a/cal_tools/cal_tools/tools.py
+++ b/cal_tools/cal_tools/tools.py
@@ -434,15 +434,20 @@ def get_dir_creation_date(directory, run, tsdir=False):
     :param tsdir: to get modification time of [directory]/[run]04.
     :return: (datetime) modification time
     """
-    if tsdir:
-        creation_time = stat("{}/r{:04d}".format(directory, run)).st_mtime
-    else:
-        rfiles = glob("{}/r{:04d}/*.h5".format(directory, run))
-        rfiles.sort(key=path.getmtime)
-        creation_time = stat(rfiles[0]).st_mtime
+    ntries = 100
+    while ntries > 0:
+        try:
+            if tsdir:
+                creation_time = stat("{}/r{:04d}".format(directory, run)).st_mtime
+            else:
+                rfiles = glob("{}/r{:04d}/*.h5".format(directory, run))
+                rfiles.sort(key=path.getmtime)
+                creation_time = stat(rfiles[0]).st_mtime
 
-    creation_time = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(creation_time)     
-    return creation_time
+            creation_time = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(creation_time)
+            return creation_time
+        except:  # catch stale file handle errors etc and try again
+            ntries -= 1
 
 
 def get_random_db_interface(cal_db_interface):
@@ -500,7 +505,6 @@ def get_from_db(device, constant, condition, empty_constant,
             metadata.calibration_constant_version = Versions.Timespan(
                                                     device=device,
                                                     start=creation_time)
-
         while ntries > 0:
             
             this_interface = get_random_db_interface(cal_db_interface)