--- a/src/eric7/Project/Project.py	Thu Aug 03 17:33:07 2023 +0200
+++ b/src/eric7/Project/Project.py	Fri Aug 04 15:40:49 2023 +0200
@@ -574,6 +574,7 @@
             "TESTING_FRAMEWORK": "",
             "LICENSE": "",
             "EMBEDDED_VENV": False,
+            "SOURCESDIR": "",
         }
         for category in self.__fileCategoriesRepository:
             self.__pdata[category] = []
@@ -607,10 +608,7 @@
         if dataKey is None:
             return copy.deepcopy(self.__pdata)
 
-        try:
-            return self.__pdata[dataKey]
-        except KeyError:
-            return default
+        return self.__pdata.get(dataKey, default)
 
     def setProjectData(self, data, dataKey=None, setDirty=True):
         """