diff --git a/lib/galaxy/jobs/__init__.py b/lib/galaxy/jobs/__init__.py
index 084f0e9d62ec..0d7c9572af17 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/jobs/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/jobs/__init__.py
@@ -1786,13 +1786,14 @@ def _finish_dataset(self, output_name, dataset, job, context, final_job_state, r
                     working_directory=self.working_directory,
                     remote_metadata_directory=remote_metadata_directory,
                 )
-            line_count = context.get("line_count", None)
-            try:
-                # Certain datatype's set_peek methods contain a line_count argument
-                dataset.set_peek(line_count=line_count)
-            except TypeError:
-                # ... and others don't
-                dataset.set_peek()
+            if final_job_state != job.states.ERROR:
+                line_count = context.get("line_count", None)
+                try:
+                    # Certain datatype's set_peek methods contain a line_count argument
+                    dataset.set_peek(line_count=line_count)
+                except TypeError:
+                    # ... and others don't
+                    dataset.set_peek()
         else:
             # Handle purged datasets.
             dataset.blurb = "empty"