diff --git a/pipeline/fiftyone.pipeline.core/flowData.js b/pipeline/fiftyone.pipeline.core/flowData.js
index dac86849..e905ecd5 100644
--- a/pipeline/fiftyone.pipeline.core/flowData.js
+++ b/pipeline/fiftyone.pipeline.core/flowData.js
@@ -69,21 +69,18 @@ class FlowData {
         // approach. For now, we work around this by only passing string keys
         // to the data getters.
         if (typeof key === 'string' || key === Symbol.iterator) {
-          try {
-            let value = data[key];
-            if (typeof value === 'undefined') {
-              value = data.get(key);
-            }
-            return value;
-          } catch (e) {
-            // If the key was 'then' and an error was thrown then we
-            // can ignore it. Otherwise, throw the error back up the stack.
-            // The key can be 'then' when using 'Promise.then(flowData)'.
-            // if (key !== 'then' && key !== 'stopped') {
-            if (key !== 'then') {
-              throw e;
-            }
+          // A promise reads 'then' from every value it resolves with, and
+          // the Pipeline resolves one with the Flow Data at each element.
+          // 'then' is never Element Data, so it is answered here rather
+          // than by a lookup that finds nothing.
+          if (key === 'then') {
+            return undefined;
           }
+          let value = data[key];
+          if (typeof value === 'undefined') {
+            value = data.get(key);
+          }
+          return value;
         }
       }
     });
diff --git a/pipeline/fiftyone.pipeline.core/tests/flowDataThen.test.js b/pipeline/fiftyone.pipeline.core/tests/flowDataThen.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dbaf0ae9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pipeline/fiftyone.pipeline.core/tests/flowDataThen.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+/* *********************************************************************
+ * This Original Work is copyright of 51 Degrees Mobile Experts Limited.
+ * Copyright 2026 51 Degrees Mobile Experts Limited, Davidson House,
+ * Forbury Square, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom RG1 3EU.
+ *
+ * This Original Work is licensed under the European Union Public Licence
+ * (EUPL) v.1.2 and is subject to its terms as set out below.
+ *
+ * If a copy of the EUPL was not distributed with this file, You can obtain
+ * one at https://opensource.org/licenses/EUPL-1.2.
+ *
+ * The 'Compatible Licences' set out in the Appendix to the EUPL (as may be
+ * amended by the European Commission) shall be deemed incompatible for
+ * the purposes of the Work and the provisions of the compatibility
+ * clause in Article 5 of the EUPL shall not apply.
+ *
+ * If using the Work as, or as part of, a network application, by
+ * including the attribution notice(s) required under Article 5 of the EUPL
+ * in the end user terms of the application under an appropriate heading,
+ * such notice(s) shall fulfill the requirements of that article.
+ * ********************************************************************* */
+
+// A promise reads 'then' from every value it resolves with, and the
+// Pipeline resolves one with the Flow Data at each of its elements. 'then'
+// is never Element Data, so it is answered without looking for any, which
+// would otherwise run the lookup for a key no element has on every request.
+
+const core = require('fiftyone.pipeline.core');
+
+const pipelineOf = () => new core.PipelineBuilder()
+  .add(new core.FlowElement({
+    dataKey: 'first',
+    processInternal: function (flowData) {
+      flowData.setElementData(new core.ElementDataDictionary({
+        flowElement: this,
+        contents: { value: 1 }
+      }));
+    }
+  }))
+  .add(new core.FlowElement({
+    dataKey: 'second',
+    processInternal: function (flowData) {
+      flowData.setElementData(new core.ElementDataDictionary({
+        flowElement: this,
+        contents: { value: 2 }
+      }));
+    }
+  }))
+  .build();
+
+describe('A Flow Data read as a promise', () => {
+  let get;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    get = jest.spyOn(core.FlowData.prototype, 'get');
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    get.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  test('has no then', () => {
+    const flowData = pipelineOf().createFlowData();
+    expect(flowData.then).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(get).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  test('is processed and awaited without looking for Element Data ' +
+    'called then', async () => {
+    const flowData = pipelineOf().createFlowData();
+    await flowData.process();
+    await Promise.resolve(flowData);
+    expect(get.mock.calls.map(([key]) => key)).not.toContain('then');
+  });
+
+  test('still gives its Element Data by key, in any case', async () => {
+    const flowData = pipelineOf().createFlowData();
+    await flowData.process();
+    get.mockClear();
+    expect(flowData.first.get('value')).toBe(1);
+    expect(flowData.SECOND.get('value')).toBe(2);
+    expect(get.mock.calls.map(([key]) => key)).toEqual(['first', 'SECOND']);
+  });
+});