diff --git a/sopel/plugins/handlers.py b/sopel/plugins/handlers.py
index 91d18639c..5896ba838 100644
--- a/sopel/plugins/handlers.py
+++ b/sopel/plugins/handlers.py
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def get_label(self):
         if not self.is_loaded() or not hasattr(self.module, '__doc__'):
             return default_label
 
-        module_doc = getattr(self.module, '__doc__', "")
+        module_doc = self.module.__doc__ or ""
         lines = inspect.cleandoc(module_doc).splitlines()
         return default_label if not lines else lines[0]
 
diff --git a/test/plugins/test_plugins_handlers.py b/test/plugins/test_plugins_handlers.py
index 34ccaadbe..ef77596e3 100644
--- a/test/plugins/test_plugins_handlers.py
+++ b/test/plugins/test_plugins_handlers.py
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ def plugin_tmpfile(tmpdir):
     return mod_file
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def plugin_tmpfile_nodoc(tmpdir):
+    root = tmpdir.mkdir('loader_mods')
+    mod_file = root.join('file_mod_nodoc.py')
+    mod_file.write("")
+
+    return mod_file
+
+
 def test_get_label_pymodule():
     plugin = handlers.PyModulePlugin('coretasks', 'sopel')
     meta = plugin.get_meta_description()
@@ -62,6 +71,17 @@ def test_get_label_pyfile_loaded(plugin_tmpfile):
     assert meta['source'] == plugin_tmpfile.strpath
 
 
+def test_get_label_pyfile_loaded_nodoc(plugin_tmpfile_nodoc):
+    plugin = handlers.PyFilePlugin(plugin_tmpfile_nodoc.strpath)
+    plugin.load()
+    meta = plugin.get_meta_description()
+
+    assert meta['name'] == 'file_mod_nodoc'
+    assert meta['label'] == 'file_mod_nodoc plugin', 'Expecting default label'
+    assert meta['type'] == handlers.PyFilePlugin.PLUGIN_TYPE
+    assert meta['source'] == plugin_tmpfile_nodoc.strpath
+
+
 def test_get_label_entrypoint(plugin_tmpfile):
     # set up for manual load/import
     distrib_dir = os.path.dirname(plugin_tmpfile.strpath)