diff --git a/DataFormats/Detectors/GlobalTracking/src/RecoContainer.cxx b/DataFormats/Detectors/GlobalTracking/src/RecoContainer.cxx
index 277466fb2e969..e1e11beae8c19 100644
--- a/DataFormats/Detectors/GlobalTracking/src/RecoContainer.cxx
+++ b/DataFormats/Detectors/GlobalTracking/src/RecoContainer.cxx
@@ -1276,12 +1276,12 @@ const o2::tpc::ClusterNativeAccess& RecoContainer::getTPCClusters() const
 
 gsl::span<const o2::trd::Tracklet64> RecoContainer::getTRDTracklets() const
 {
-  return inputsTRD->mTracklets;
+  return inputsTRD ? inputsTRD->mTracklets : gsl::span<const o2::trd::Tracklet64>();
 }
 
 gsl::span<const o2::trd::CalibratedTracklet> RecoContainer::getTRDCalibratedTracklets() const
 {
-  return inputsTRD->mSpacePoints;
+  return inputsTRD ? inputsTRD->mSpacePoints : gsl::span<const o2::trd::CalibratedTracklet>();
 }
 
 gsl::span<const o2::trd::TriggerRecord> RecoContainer::getTRDTriggerRecords() const
@@ -1300,12 +1300,12 @@ gsl::span<const o2::trd::TriggerRecord> RecoContainer::getTRDTriggerRecords() co
 
 const o2::dataformats::MCTruthContainer<o2::MCCompLabel>* RecoContainer::getTRDTrackletsMCLabels() const
 {
-  return inputsTRD->mTrackletLabels.get();
+  return inputsTRD ? inputsTRD->mTrackletLabels.get() : nullptr;
 }
 
 const o2::dataformats::ConstMCTruthContainerView<o2::MCCompLabel>* RecoContainer::getTPCClustersMCLabels() const
 {
-  return inputsTPCclusters->clusterIndex.clustersMCTruth;
+  return inputsTRD ? inputsTPCclusters->clusterIndex.clustersMCTruth : nullptr;
 }
 
 //__________________________________________________________
diff --git a/Detectors/TPC/workflow/src/TPCTimeSeriesSpec.cxx b/Detectors/TPC/workflow/src/TPCTimeSeriesSpec.cxx
index 317db93985ce3..d9dc774de812e 100644
--- a/Detectors/TPC/workflow/src/TPCTimeSeriesSpec.cxx
+++ b/Detectors/TPC/workflow/src/TPCTimeSeriesSpec.cxx
@@ -316,8 +316,8 @@ class TPCTimeSeries : public Task
     // D2: build TPC track index → TRD tracklet data map (for unbinned output)
     // For each TPC track that has a TRD match, store the TrackTRD tracklet indices
     std::unordered_map<unsigned int, TRDTrackletData> tpcToTRDMap;
-    auto trdTracklets = mTPCOnly ? gsl::span<const o2::trd::Tracklet64>() : recoData.getTRDTracklets();
-    auto trdCalibTracklets = mTPCOnly ? gsl::span<const o2::trd::CalibratedTracklet>() : recoData.getTRDCalibratedTracklets();
+    auto trdTracklets = (mTPCOnly || !recoData.inputsTRD) ? gsl::span<const o2::trd::Tracklet64>() : recoData.getTRDTracklets();
+    auto trdCalibTracklets = (mTPCOnly || !recoData.inputsTRD) ? gsl::span<const o2::trd::CalibratedTracklet>() : recoData.getTRDCalibratedTracklets();
     if (mUnbinnedWriter && !mTPCOnly) {
       // scan ITS-TPC-TRD tracks
       auto itstpctrdTracks = recoData.getITSTPCTRDTracks<o2::trd::TrackTRD>();