diff --git a/nucleus/principalNetworkDomain.go b/nucleus/principalNetworkDomain.go
index 9052619b0b3b81045d7cf8dcd59dc72884139782..7c577523c8a3a9bb30ef400c4d29fe55d81bebaf 100644
--- a/nucleus/principalNetworkDomain.go
+++ b/nucleus/principalNetworkDomain.go
@@ -317,6 +317,9 @@ func (pnd *pndImplementation) ChangeOND(uuid uuid.UUID, operation interface{}, p
 	}
 	cpy, err := ygot.DeepCopy(d.GoStruct)
 	ygot.BuildEmptyTree(cpy)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	p, err := ygot.StringToStructuredPath(path)
 	if err != nil {