diff --git a/changelog/62858.fixed b/changelog/62858.fixed
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bae029fc895
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/62858.fixed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed master job scheduler using when
diff --git a/salt/utils/schedule.py b/salt/utils/schedule.py
index 5f461a47a6c..5e58cd452c8 100644
--- a/salt/utils/schedule.py
+++ b/salt/utils/schedule.py
@@ -1064,7 +1064,9 @@ class Schedule:
                         return
                     when_ = self.opts["pillar"]["whens"][i]
                 elif (
-                    "whens" in self.opts["grains"] and i in self.opts["grains"]["whens"]
+                    "grains" in self.opts
+                    and "whens" in self.opts["grains"]
+                    and i in self.opts["grains"]["whens"]
                 ):
                     if not isinstance(self.opts["grains"]["whens"], dict):
                         data[