diff --git a/src/topics.js b/src/topics.js
index 43dd9dadf2..63e2da86a7 100644
--- a/src/topics.js
+++ b/src/topics.js
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ var async = require('async'),
 			}
 
 			user.getNameSlugPicture(topic.uid, function(err, userData) {
+				if (err) {
+					return callback(err);
+				}
+
 				topic.user = userData;
 				callback(err, topic);
 			});
diff --git a/src/user/create.js b/src/user/create.js
index 37cff32d72..dda4f1743d 100644
--- a/src/user/create.js
+++ b/src/user/create.js
@@ -126,10 +126,10 @@ module.exports = function(User) {
 				};
 
 				db.setObject('user:' + uid, userData, function(err) {
-
 					if(err) {
 						return callback(err);
 					}
+
 					db.setObjectField('username:uid', userData.username, uid);
 					db.setObjectField('userslug:uid', userData.userslug, uid);