diff --git a/Configuration/PyReleaseValidation/scripts/runTheMatrix.py b/Configuration/PyReleaseValidation/scripts/runTheMatrix.py
index 34d1a01f50ef8..eea6055c0fb10 100755
--- a/Configuration/PyReleaseValidation/scripts/runTheMatrix.py
+++ b/Configuration/PyReleaseValidation/scripts/runTheMatrix.py
@@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ def do_searchInCommands(self, arg):
                 for wfl in self.matrices_[args[0]].workFlows:
                     if re.match(pattern_dataset, wfl.nameId):
                         for step, command in enumerate(wfl.cmds):
-                            if re.match(pattern_command, command):
+                            if command is not None and re.match(pattern_command, str(command)):
                                 if wfl.numId not in cached:
                                     cached.append(wfl.numId)
                                     cached_steps[wfl.nameId] = {
diff --git a/Configuration/PyReleaseValidation/test/test-runTheMatrix_interactive.sh b/Configuration/PyReleaseValidation/test/test-runTheMatrix_interactive.sh
index d995c64e2eafd..83c0489cfca82 100755
--- a/Configuration/PyReleaseValidation/test/test-runTheMatrix_interactive.sh
+++ b/Configuration/PyReleaseValidation/test/test-runTheMatrix_interactive.sh
@@ -6,5 +6,6 @@ echo 'showWorkflow' | runTheMatrix.py --interactive || exit 1
 echo 'search .*D88.*' | runTheMatrix.py --interactive || exit 1
 echo 'dumpWorkflowId 1.0' | runTheMatrix.py --interactive || exit 1
 echo 'searchInWorkflow standard .*' | runTheMatrix.py --interactive || exit 1
+echo 'searchInCommands standard .* .*HLT:@relvalHI2026.*' | runTheMatrix.py --interactive || exit 1
 echo 'wrongCommand' | runTheMatrix.py --interactive || exit 0