diff --git a/api/kiwi_vpn_api/routers/_common.py b/api/kiwi_vpn_api/routers/_common.py
index 3edf086..f9424bc 100644
--- a/api/kiwi_vpn_api/routers/_common.py
+++ b/api/kiwi_vpn_api/routers/_common.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ async def get_current_user(
 
     # can't connect to an unconfigured database
     if current_config is None:
-        return None
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
 
     username = await current_config.jwt.decode_token(token)
     user = User.from_db(db, username)
@@ -73,31 +73,40 @@ async def get_current_user(
     return user
 
 
-async def get_current_user_if_admin(
+async def get_current_user_if_exists(
     current_config: Config | None = Depends(Config.load),
     current_user: User | None = Depends(get_current_user),
 ) -> User:
     """
-    Get the currently logged-in user if it is an admin.
+    Get the currently logged-in user if it exists.
     """
 
-    # fail if not installed
-    if current_config is None:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
-
     # fail if not requested by a user
     if current_user is None:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN)
 
+    return current_user
+
+
+async def get_current_user_if_admin(
+    current_config: Config | None = Depends(Config.load),
+    current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user_if_exists),
+) -> User:
+    """
+    Get the currently logged-in user if it is an admin.
+    """
+
     # fail if not requested by an admin
     if not current_user.is_admin():
         raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN)
 
+    return current_user
+
 
 async def get_current_user_if_admin_or_self(
     user_name: str,
     current_config: Config | None = Depends(Config.load),
-    current_user: User | None = Depends(get_current_user),
+    current_user: User = Depends(get_current_user_if_exists),
 ) -> User:
     """
     Get the currently logged-in user.
@@ -106,14 +115,8 @@ async def get_current_user_if_admin_or_self(
     and b) if it is not an admin.
     """
 
-    # fail if not installed
-    if current_config is None:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
-
-    # fail if not requested by a user
-    if current_user is None:
-        raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN)
-
     # fail if not requested by an admin or self
     if not (current_user.is_admin() or current_user.name == user_name):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_403_FORBIDDEN)
+
+    return current_user