diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/ContextUserUtil.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/ContextUserUtil.java
index 7600496..7da46d1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/ContextUserUtil.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/common/portal/ContextUserUtil.java
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ public class ContextUserUtil {
 	 * @param httpServletRequest
 	 * @returnthe current user LR id
 	 */
-	protected static Long getCurrentUserId(HttpServletRequest httpServletRequest) {
-		
+	protected static Long getCurrentUserId(HttpServletRequest httpServletRequest) {		
 		Cookie[] cookies = httpServletRequest.getCookies();
 		String userId = null;
 		String companyId = null;
@@ -46,18 +45,27 @@ public class ContextUserUtil {
 
 				} catch (Exception pException) {
 					_log.warn("Exception while getting current user from cookie, returning current user from http header");
-					String userHeaderIdString = httpServletRequest.getHeader(PortalContext.USER_ID_ATTR_NAME);
-					long userIdToReturn = -1;
-					try {
-						userIdToReturn = Long.parseLong(userHeaderIdString);
-					} catch (NumberFormatException e) {
-						_log.error("The userId is not a number -> " + userHeaderIdString);
-					}
-					return userIdToReturn;
+					return getUserFromHeader(httpServletRequest);
 				}
+			} else {
+				_log.debug("Something wrong with cookies, returning current user from http header");
+				return getUserFromHeader(httpServletRequest);
 			}
-		} 
-		return null;
+		} else {
+			_log.warn("Cookies are not present, returning current user from http header");
+			return getUserFromHeader(httpServletRequest);
+		}
+	}
+	
+	private static long getUserFromHeader(HttpServletRequest httpServletRequest) {
+		String userHeaderIdString = httpServletRequest.getHeader(PortalContext.USER_ID_ATTR_NAME);
+		long userIdToReturn = -1;
+		try {
+			userIdToReturn = Long.parseLong(userHeaderIdString);
+		} catch (NumberFormatException e) {
+			_log.error("The userId is not a number -> " + userHeaderIdString);
+		}
+		return userIdToReturn;
 	}
 
 	private static String hexStringToStringByAscii(String hexString) {