diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/LocalCache.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/LocalCache.kt
index 246c65553..32fe4d0d8 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/LocalCache.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/LocalCache.kt
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ object LocalCache : ILocalCache {
         observablesByKindAndAuthor[event.kind]?.get(event.pubKey)?.updateIfMatches(event)
     }
 
-    fun checkGetOrCreateUser(key: String): User? = getOrCreateUser(key)
+    fun checkGetOrCreateUser(key: String): User? = runCatching { getOrCreateUser(key) }.getOrNull()
 
     fun getOrCreateUser(key: HexKey): User {
         require(isValidHex(key = key)) { "$key is not a valid hex" }