diff --git a/nipype/utils/profiler.py b/nipype/utils/profiler.py
index 7dd1823d43..f9299bf87c 100644
--- a/nipype/utils/profiler.py
+++ b/nipype/utils/profiler.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # @Author: oesteban
 # @Date:   2017-09-21 15:50:37
 # @Last Modified by:   oesteban
-# @Last Modified time: 2017-10-02 15:44:29
+# @Last Modified time: 2017-10-20 09:12:36
 """
 Utilities to keep track of performance
 """
@@ -77,9 +77,13 @@ def _sample(self, cpu_interval=None):
         except psutil.NoSuchProcess:
             pass
 
-        # parent_mem = mem
         # Iterate through child processes and get number of their threads
-        for child in self._process.children(recursive=True):
+        try:
+            children = self._process.children(recursive=True)
+        except psutil.NoSuchProcess:
+            children = []
+
+        for child in children:
             try:
                 with child.oneshot():
                     cpu += child.cpu_percent()