diff --git a/user-service/src/main/java/com/dailycodebuffer/user/controller/UserController.java b/user-service/src/main/java/com/dailycodebuffer/user/controller/UserController.java
index 0d5cee5..51c36e0 100644
--- a/user-service/src/main/java/com/dailycodebuffer/user/controller/UserController.java
+++ b/user-service/src/main/java/com/dailycodebuffer/user/controller/UserController.java
@@ -25,7 +25,15 @@ public User saveUser(@RequestBody User user) {
     @GetMapping("/{id}")
     public ResponseTemplateVO getUserWithDepartment(@PathVariable("id") Long userId) {
         log.info("Inside getUserWithDepartment of UserController");
-        return userService.getUserWithDepartment(userId);
+        try {
+            return userService.getUserWithDepartment(userId);
+        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+            log.error("Error occurred while acquiring the user: ", e );
+            ResponseTemplateVO errorResponse = new ResponseTemplateVO();
+            errorResponse.setDepartment(null);
+            errorResponse.setUser(null);
+            return errorResponse;
+        }
     }
 
 
diff --git a/user-service/src/main/java/com/dailycodebuffer/user/service/UserService.java b/user-service/src/main/java/com/dailycodebuffer/user/service/UserService.java
index a5c7e69..a623582 100644
--- a/user-service/src/main/java/com/dailycodebuffer/user/service/UserService.java
+++ b/user-service/src/main/java/com/dailycodebuffer/user/service/UserService.java
@@ -29,12 +29,20 @@ public ResponseTemplateVO getUserWithDepartment(Long userId) {
         ResponseTemplateVO vo = new ResponseTemplateVO();
         User user = userRepository.findByUserId(userId);
 
-        Department department =
+        if (user == null) {
+            log.error("User not found for userId: {}", userId);
+        }
+        else{
+            Department department =
                 restTemplate.getForObject("http://DEPARTMENT-SERVICE/departments/" + user.getDepartmentId()
                         ,Department.class);
-
-        vo.setUser(user);
-        vo.setDepartment(department);
+            
+            if (department == null) {
+                log.error("Department not found for departmentId: {}", user.getDepartmentId());
+            }
+            vo.setUser(user);
+            vo.setDepartment(department);
+        }
 
         return  vo;
     }