diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py b/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
index 5c9985d86d..2c22c377d0 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
@@ -2033,9 +2033,9 @@ class ValidateFormatter(TemplateFormatter):
     def get_value(self, key, args, kwargs):
         return self._validation_string
 
-    def validate(self, x):
+    def validate(self, template):
         from calibre.ebooks.metadata.book.base import Metadata
-        return self.unsafe_format(x, {}, 'VALIDATE ERROR', Metadata(''))
+        return self.unsafe_format(template, {}, Metadata(''))
 
 
 validation_formatter = ValidateFormatter()
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
index 1a5e018272..f09fdc2cc0 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
@@ -193,7 +193,10 @@ def only_in_gui_error(name):
 
 
 def get_database(mi, name):
-    proxy = mi.get('_proxy_metadata', None)
+    try:
+        proxy = mi.get('_proxy_metadata', None)
+    except Exception:
+        proxy = None
     if proxy is None:
         if name is not None:
             only_in_gui_error(name)