diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/tamu/iiif/service/AbstractManifestService.java b/src/main/java/edu/tamu/iiif/service/AbstractManifestService.java
index 2d59e878..3bbf2a06 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/tamu/iiif/service/AbstractManifestService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/tamu/iiif/service/AbstractManifestService.java
@@ -477,13 +477,12 @@ protected Optional<JsonNode> getImageInfo(String url) {
     }
 
     protected Optional<String> getMimeType(String url) {
-        HttpHeaders headers = restTemplate.headForHeaders(url);
-
-        if (headers == null) {
+        try {
+            HttpHeaders headers = restTemplate.headForHeaders(url);
+            return Optional.ofNullable(headers.getFirst(HttpHeaders.CONTENT_TYPE));
+        } catch (RestClientException e) {
             return Optional.empty();
         }
-
-        return Optional.ofNullable(headers.getFirst(HttpHeaders.CONTENT_TYPE));
     }
 
     private Metadata buildMetadata(String label, String value) {