diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 172778a4..fba002e7 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ FIXED bug reported in MUSR-183: missing background for 2nd histo in asymmetry fi
 FIXED Makefiles so that the NeXus support will not be built if it has not been enabled during the configure stage
 FIXED ASCII export from musrview in case of a Fourier-Power- or Fourier-Phase-difference plot
 FIXED bug in asymmetry fit with fixed background
+CHANGED improved handling of 'old' ROOT LEM data files (2006 and earlier) for any2many (MUSR-178)
 CHANGED improved handling of WKM/ASCII in PRunDataHandler for any2many (MUSR-172)
 CHANGED the data-file-name handling (MUSR-195).
         It is now possible to specify the full file name in the RUN block (including the extension).
diff --git a/src/classes/PRunDataHandler.cpp b/src/classes/PRunDataHandler.cpp
index f495b04c..79420d26 100644
--- a/src/classes/PRunDataHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/classes/PRunDataHandler.cpp
@@ -1289,23 +1289,31 @@ Bool_t PRunDataHandler::ReadRootFile(UInt_t tag)
       // clear histoData for the next histo
       histoData.clear();
     }
-    for (Int_t i=0; i<noOfHistos; i++) {
-      sprintf(histoName, "hDecay%02d", i+POST_PILEUP_HISTO_OFFSET);
-      TH1F *histo = dynamic_cast<TH1F*>(folder->FindObjectAny(histoName));
-      if (!histo) {
-        cerr << endl << ">> PRunDataHandler::ReadRootFile: **ERROR** Couldn't get histo " << histoName;
-        cerr << endl;
-        return false;
+    // check if any post pileup histos are present at all (this is not the case for LEM data 2006 and earlier)
+    sprintf(histoName, "hDecay%02d", POST_PILEUP_HISTO_OFFSET);
+    if (!folder->FindObjectAny(histoName)) {
+      cerr << endl << ">> PRunDataHandler::ReadRootFile: **WARNING** Couldn't get histo " << histoName;
+      cerr << endl << ">>   most probably this is an old (2006 or earlier) LEM file without post pileup histos.";
+      cerr << endl;
+    } else {
+      for (Int_t i=0; i<noOfHistos; i++) {
+        sprintf(histoName, "hDecay%02d", i+POST_PILEUP_HISTO_OFFSET);
+        TH1F *histo = dynamic_cast<TH1F*>(folder->FindObjectAny(histoName));
+        if (!histo) {
+          cerr << endl << ">> PRunDataHandler::ReadRootFile: **ERROR** Couldn't get histo " << histoName;
+          cerr << endl;
+          return false;
+        }
+        // keep maximum of histogram as a T0 estimate
+        runData.AppendT0Estimated(histo->GetMaximumBin());
+        // fill data
+        for (Int_t j=1; j<=histo->GetNbinsX(); j++)
+          histoData.push_back(histo->GetBinContent(j));
+        // store them in runData vector
+        runData.AppendDataBin(histoData);
+        // clear histoData for the next histo
+        histoData.clear();
       }
-      // keep maximum of histogram as a T0 estimate
-      runData.AppendT0Estimated(histo->GetMaximumBin());
-      // fill data
-      for (Int_t j=1; j<=histo->GetNbinsX(); j++)
-        histoData.push_back(histo->GetBinContent(j));
-      // store them in runData vector
-      runData.AppendDataBin(histoData);
-      // clear histoData for the next histo
-      histoData.clear();
     }
   }