diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index 66f987e1c..05f850e30 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
       username_lower = params[:username].downcase
       username_lower.gsub!(/\.json$/, '')
       find_opts = { username_lower: username_lower }
-      find_opts[:active] = true unless opts[:include_inactive] || current_user.staff?
+      find_opts[:active] = true unless opts[:include_inactive] || current_user.try(:staff?)
       User.find_by(find_opts)
     elsif params[:external_id]
       external_id = params[:external_id].gsub(/\.json$/, '')