diff --git a/parler/fields.py b/parler/fields.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/parler/fields.py
+++ b/parler/fields.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def _validate_master(new_class):
     if shared_model.__module__ == '__fake__':
         return shared_model
 
-    meta = shared_model._parler_meta
+    meta = getattr(shared_model, '_parler_meta', None)
     if meta is not None:
         if meta._has_translations_model(new_class):
             raise ImproperlyConfigured("The model '{0}' already has an associated translation table!".format(shared_model.__name__))
diff --git a/parler/models.py b/parler/models.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/parler/models.py
+++ b/parler/models.py
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ class TranslatedFieldsModelMixin(object):
         Add the proxy attributes to the shared model.
         """
         # Instance at previous inheritance level, if set.
-        base = shared_model._parler_meta
+        base = getattr(shared_model, '_parler_meta', None)
         if base is not None and base[-1].shared_model is shared_model:
             # If a second translations model is added, register it in the same object level.
             base.add_meta(ParlerMeta(
Fix two places with AttributeError