diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/openaire/usermanagement/ForgotPasswordServlet.java b/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/openaire/usermanagement/ForgotPasswordServlet.java
index 2ef9d23..10b3302 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/openaire/usermanagement/ForgotPasswordServlet.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/dnetlib/openaire/usermanagement/ForgotPasswordServlet.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public class ForgotPasswordServlet extends HttpServlet {
         try {
 
             String username = ldapActions.getUsername(formEmail);
-            if (username == null) {
+            if (username == null || username.isEmpty()) {
                 request.getSession().setAttribute("message", "User does not exist.");
                 response.sendRedirect("./forgotPassword.jsp");
 
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ public class ForgotPasswordServlet extends HttpServlet {
                 String verificationCodeSubject = "Your OpenAIRE password reset request";
 
                 emailSender.sendEmail(formEmail, verificationCodeSubject, verificationCodeMsg);
+
+                response.setContentType("text/html");
+                response.sendRedirect("./verify.jsp");
             }
 
         } catch (LDAPException ldape) {
@@ -94,9 +97,7 @@ public class ForgotPasswordServlet extends HttpServlet {
             request.getSession().setAttribute("message", "Error sending email.");
             response.sendRedirect("./forgotPassword.jsp");
         }
-
-        response.setContentType("text/html");
-        response.sendRedirect("./verify.jsp");
+        
     }
 
 }