diff --git a/pkg/banneduser/banneduser.go b/pkg/banneduser/banneduser.go
index 915af8f3..eb218663 100644
--- a/pkg/banneduser/banneduser.go
+++ b/pkg/banneduser/banneduser.go
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ func NewBannedUser(userSignup *toolchainv1alpha1.UserSignup, bannedBy, banReason
 	return bannedUser, nil
 }
 
-// GetBannedUser returns BannedUser with the provided user email hash if found. Otherwise it returns nil.
+// GetBannedUser returns BannedUser with the provided user email hash, if found.
+// If not found, it returns an error.
 func GetBannedUser(ctx context.Context, userEmailHash string, hostClient client.Client, hostNamespace string) (*toolchainv1alpha1.BannedUser, error) {
 	emailHashLabelMatch := client.MatchingLabels(map[string]string{
 		toolchainv1alpha1.BannedUserEmailHashLabelKey: userEmailHash,
@@ -54,5 +55,5 @@ func GetBannedUser(ctx context.Context, userEmailHash string, hostClient client.
 		return &bannedUsers.Items[0], nil
 	}
 
-	return nil, nil
+	return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get banned user %s", userEmailHash)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/banneduser/banneduser_test.go b/pkg/banneduser/banneduser_test.go
index 01647013..397c8efe 100644
--- a/pkg/banneduser/banneduser_test.go
+++ b/pkg/banneduser/banneduser_test.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func TestGetBannedUser(t *testing.T) {
 			name:       "user is not banned",
 			toBan:      bannedUser2,
 			wantResult: nil,
-			wantError:  false,
+			wantError:  true,
 			fakeClient: fakeClient,
 		},
 		{