Cannot add user comment to images without any prexisting metadata

data = {'test':'1'}
with open(IMAGE_PATH, 'rb') as f:
    exif_im = exif.Image(f)
        
# add exif data
exif_im.set('user_comment', json.dumps(data))

with open(IMAGE_PATH, 'wb') as f:
	f.write(exif_im.get_file())

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "faces.py", line 65, in <module>                                                                              exif_im.set('user_comment', json.dumps(data))
File "C:\Users\MK\miniconda3\lib\site-packages\exif\_image.py", line 185, in set                                       self.__setattr__(attribute, value)
File "C:\Users\MK\miniconda3\lib\site-packages\exif\_image.py", line 87, in __setattr__                                setattr(self._segments['APP1'], key, value)
KeyError: 'APP1'

It's possible I'm doing something wrong. Help would be appreciated