diff --git a/pyEpiabm/pyEpiabm/core/person.py b/pyEpiabm/pyEpiabm/core/person.py
index f44bdcd4c..870d40ff1 100644
--- a/pyEpiabm/pyEpiabm/core/person.py
+++ b/pyEpiabm/pyEpiabm/core/person.py
@@ -285,8 +285,8 @@ def increment_secondary_infections(self):
         infected multiple times, then we only increment the current secondary
         infection count)
         """
-        if self.secondary_infections_counts:
+        try:
             self.secondary_infections_counts[-1] += 1
-        else:
+        except IndexError:
             raise RuntimeError("Cannot call increment_secondary_infections "
                                "while secondary_infections_counts is empty")