diff --git a/salt/firewall/map.jinja b/salt/firewall/map.jinja
index 496e6f568..2c7d03225 100644
--- a/salt/firewall/map.jinja
+++ b/salt/firewall/map.jinja
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 {% import_yaml 'firewall/assigned_hostgroups.map.yaml' as default_assigned_hostgroups %}
 {% import_yaml 'firewall/assigned_hostgroups.local.map.yaml' as local_assigned_hostgroups %}
-{% if local_assigned_hostgroups.role[role] %}
+{% if local_assigned_hostgroups.role.get(role, False) %}
   {% set assigned_hostgroups = salt['defaults.merge'](local_assigned_hostgroups.role[role], default_assigned_hostgroups.role[role], merge_lists=False, in_place=False) %}
 {% else %}
   {% set assigned_hostgroups = default_assigned_hostgroups.role[role] %}
@@ -45,4 +45,4 @@
 
 {% if translated_pillar_assigned_hostgroups %}
   {% do salt['defaults.merge'](assigned_hostgroups, translated_pillar_assigned_hostgroups, merge_lists=True, in_place=True) %}
-{% endif %}
\ No newline at end of file
+{% endif %}