diff --git a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
index 991cfac..f9c5034 100644
--- a/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
+++ b/ts/00_commitinfo_data.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
  */
 export const commitinfo = {
   name: '@apiclient.xyz/elasticsearch',
-  version: '2.0.3',
+  version: '2.0.4',
   description: 'log to elasticsearch in a kibana compatible format'
 }
diff --git a/ts/els.classes.elasticdoc.ts b/ts/els.classes.elasticdoc.ts
index fb09520..ffa2fd1 100644
--- a/ts/els.classes.elasticdoc.ts
+++ b/ts/els.classes.elasticdoc.ts
@@ -71,26 +71,34 @@ export class ElasticDoc {
   async startPipingSession(options: { onlyNew?: boolean }) {
     this.sessionDocs.clear();
     this.onlyNew = options.onlyNew;
+  
     if (this.onlyNew) {
-      // Retrieve and store the latest timestamp
-      const response = await this.client.search({
-        index: this.index,
-        sort: '@timestamp:desc',
-        size: 1,
-      });
-      const hit = response.body.hits.hits[0];
-      this.latestTimestamp = hit?._source?.['@timestamp'] || null;
-      if (this.latestTimestamp) {
-        console.log(`Working in "onlyNew" mode. Hence we are omitting documents prior to ${this.latestTimestamp}`);
+      // Check if index exists before attempting to search for the latest timestamp
+      const { body: indexExists } = await this.client.indices.exists({ index: this.index });
+      
+      if (indexExists) {
+        const response = await this.client.search({
+          index: this.index,
+          sort: '@timestamp:desc',
+          size: 1,
+        });
+        const hit = response.body.hits.hits[0];
+        this.latestTimestamp = hit?._source?.['@timestamp'] || null;
+  
+        if (this.latestTimestamp) {
+          console.log(`Working in "onlyNew" mode. Hence we are omitting documents prior to ${this.latestTimestamp}`);
+        } else {
+          console.log(`Working in "onlyNew" mode, but no documents found in index ${this.index}. Hence processing all documents now.`);
+        }
       } else {
-        `Working in "onlyNew" mode, but no documents found in index ${this.index}. Hence processing all documents now.`
+        this.latestTimestamp = null;
+        console.log(`Index ${this.index} does not exist. Working in "onlyNew" mode, but will process all documents as the index is empty.`);
       }
     }
   }
+  
 
   async pipeDocument(optionsArg: { docId: string; timestamp?: string | number; doc: any }) {
-    // If 'onlyNew' is true, compare the document timestamp with the latest timestamp
-
     await this.ensureIndexExists(optionsArg.doc);
 
     const documentBody = {
@@ -98,6 +106,7 @@ export class ElasticDoc {
       ...(optionsArg.timestamp && { '@timestamp': optionsArg.timestamp }),
     };
 
+    // If 'onlyNew' is true, compare the document timestamp with the latest timestamp
     if (this.onlyNew) {
       if (this.latestTimestamp && optionsArg.timestamp <= this.latestTimestamp) {
         // Omit the document