diff --git a/controllers/oidc.security/errors.go b/controllers/oidc.security/errors.go
index 3104b1aa..eac87174 100644
--- a/controllers/oidc.security/errors.go
+++ b/controllers/oidc.security/errors.go
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ func NewOIDCClientRegistrationError(clientID, requestMethod, origErrMsg string,
 		return
 	}
 	if response == nil || response.Body == nil {
+		oidcErr.Description = "no response received"
 		return
 	}
 	defer response.Body.Close()
diff --git a/controllers/oidc.security/zen_registration.go b/controllers/oidc.security/zen_registration.go
index b4d4a4f9..ac7726f2 100644
--- a/controllers/oidc.security/zen_registration.go
+++ b/controllers/oidc.security/zen_registration.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func (r *ClientReconciler) getZenInstanceRegistration(ctx context.Context, clien
 	switch v := err.(type) {
 	case *OIDCClientRegistrationError:
 		// Return no response or error if the OIDC client isn't found given a token couldn't be retrieved
-		if v.response.StatusCode == 404 {
+		if v.response != nil && v.response.StatusCode == 404 {
 			return nil, nil
 		}
 		return