diff --git a/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/userinfo/UserListingModel.java b/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/userinfo/UserListingModel.java
index b40fc9691..05265ea22 100644
--- a/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/userinfo/UserListingModel.java
+++ b/dmp-backend/web/src/main/java/eu/eudat/models/data/userinfo/UserListingModel.java
@@ -105,11 +105,13 @@ public class UserListingModel implements DataModel<eu.eudat.data.entities.UserIn
         this.lastloggedin = entity.getLastloggedin();
        // this.additionalinfo = entity.getAdditionalinfo();
         this.appRoles = entity.getUserRoles().stream().map(item -> item.getRole()).collect(Collectors.toList());
-        try {
-            Map<String, Object> additionalInfo = new ObjectMapper().readValue(entity.getAdditionalinfo(), HashMap.class);
-            this.avatarUrl = (String) additionalInfo.get("avatarUrl");
-        } catch (IOException e) {
-            logger.error(e.getMessage(), e);
+        if (entity.getAdditionalinfo() != null) {
+            try {
+                Map<String, Object> additionalInfo = new ObjectMapper().readValue(entity.getAdditionalinfo(), HashMap.class);
+                this.avatarUrl = (String) additionalInfo.get("avatarUrl");
+            } catch (IOException e) {
+                logger.error(e.getMessage(), e);
+            }
         }
         return this;
     }