diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/identifier/SelfEditingIdentifierFactory.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/identifier/SelfEditingIdentifierFactory.java
index 3e3c15bde..5ba828ffd 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/identifier/SelfEditingIdentifierFactory.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/auth/identifier/SelfEditingIdentifierFactory.java
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ public class SelfEditingIdentifierFactory implements IdentifierBundleFactory {
 		if (uri == null) {
 			log.debug("Could not find an Individual with a netId of "
 					+ username);
+			return null;
 		}
 
 		Individual ind = indDao.getIndividualByURI(uri);