diff --git a/functions.php b/functions.php
index 9a333b47e..9c14de24e 100644
--- a/functions.php
+++ b/functions.php
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ if ( ! function_exists( 'twentytwelve_entry_meta' ) ) :
 		$categories_list = get_the_category_list( __( ', ', 'twentytwelve' ) );
 
 		/* translators: Used between list items, there is a space after the comma. */
-		$tag_list = get_the_tag_list( '', __( ', ', 'twentytwelve' ) );
+		$tags_list = get_the_tag_list( '', __( ', ', 'twentytwelve' ) );
 
 		$date = sprintf(
 			'<a href="%1$s" title="%2$s" rel="bookmark"><time class="entry-date" datetime="%3$s">%4$s</time></a>',
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ if ( ! function_exists( 'twentytwelve_entry_meta' ) ) :
 			get_the_author()
 		);
 
-		if ( $tag_list ) {
+		if ( $tags_list && ! is_wp_error( $tags_list ) ) {
 			/* translators: 1: Category name, 2: Tag name, 3: Date, 4: Author display name. */
 			$utility_text = __( 'This entry was posted in %1$s and tagged %2$s on %3$s<span class="by-author"> by %4$s</span>.', 'twentytwelve' );
 		} elseif ( $categories_list ) {
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ if ( ! function_exists( 'twentytwelve_entry_meta' ) ) :
 		printf(
 			$utility_text,
 			$categories_list,
-			$tag_list,
+			$tags_list,
 			$date,
 			$author
 		);