diff --git a/kedro-telemetry/kedro_telemetry/plugin.py b/kedro-telemetry/kedro_telemetry/plugin.py
index 5164b5ecd..4c437cfbb 100644
--- a/kedro-telemetry/kedro_telemetry/plugin.py
+++ b/kedro-telemetry/kedro_telemetry/plugin.py
@@ -56,31 +56,35 @@ def _get_or_create_uuid():
     """
     Reads a UUID from a configuration file or generates and saves a new one if not present.
     """
-
-    config_path = user_config_dir("kedro")
-    full_path = os.path.join(config_path, CONFIG_FILENAME)
-    config = ConfigParser()
-
-    if os.path.exists(full_path):
-        config.read(full_path)
-
-        if config.has_section("telemetry") and "uuid" in config["telemetry"]:
-            try:
-                return uuid.UUID(config["telemetry"]["uuid"]).hex
-            except ValueError:
-                pass  # Invalid UUID found, will generate a new one
-
-    # Generate a new UUID and save it to the config file
-    if not config.has_section("telemetry"):
-        config.add_section("telemetry")
-    new_uuid = uuid.uuid4().hex
-    config.set("telemetry", "uuid", new_uuid)
-
-    os.makedirs(config_path, exist_ok=True)
-    with open(full_path, "w") as configfile:
-        config.write(configfile)
-
-    return new_uuid
+    try:
+        config_path = user_config_dir("kedro")
+        full_path = os.path.join(config_path, CONFIG_FILENAME)
+        config = ConfigParser()
+
+        if os.path.exists(full_path):
+            config.read(full_path)
+
+            if config.has_section("telemetry") and "uuid" in config["telemetry"]:
+                try:
+                    return uuid.UUID(config["telemetry"]["uuid"]).hex
+                except ValueError:
+                    pass  # Invalid UUID found, will generate a new one
+
+        # Generate a new UUID and save it to the config file
+        if not config.has_section("telemetry"):
+            config.add_section("telemetry")
+        new_uuid = uuid.uuid4().hex
+        config.set("telemetry", "uuid", new_uuid)
+
+        os.makedirs(config_path, exist_ok=True)
+        with open(full_path, "w") as configfile:
+            config.write(configfile)
+
+        return new_uuid
+
+    except Exception as e:
+        logging.error(f"Failed to get or create UUID: {e}")
+        return ""
 
 
 class KedroTelemetryCLIHooks:
diff --git a/kedro-telemetry/tests/test_plugin.py b/kedro-telemetry/tests/test_plugin.py
index 15a33cd01..9d57c13f5 100644
--- a/kedro-telemetry/tests/test_plugin.py
+++ b/kedro-telemetry/tests/test_plugin.py
@@ -226,13 +226,17 @@ def test_before_command_run_empty_args(self, mocker, fake_metadata):
         mocked_anon_id = mocker.patch("kedro_telemetry.plugin._hash")
         mocked_anon_id.return_value = "digested"
         mocker.patch("kedro_telemetry.plugin.PACKAGE_NAME", "spaceflights")
+        mocker.patch(
+            "kedro_telemetry.plugin._get_or_create_uuid",
+            return_value="hashed_username",
+        )
 
         mocked_heap_call = mocker.patch("kedro_telemetry.plugin._send_heap_event")
         telemetry_hook = KedroTelemetryCLIHooks()
         command_args = []
         telemetry_hook.before_command_run(fake_metadata, command_args)
         expected_properties = {
-            "username": "digested",
+            "username": "hashed_username",
             "package_name": "digested",
             "project_version": kedro_version,
             "telemetry_version": TELEMETRY_VERSION,
@@ -249,12 +253,12 @@ def test_before_command_run_empty_args(self, mocker, fake_metadata):
         expected_calls = [
             mocker.call(
                 event_name="Command run: kedro",
-                identity="digested",
+                identity="hashed_username",
                 properties=expected_properties,
             ),
             mocker.call(
                 event_name="CLI command",
-                identity="digested",
+                identity="hashed_username",
                 properties=generic_properties,
             ),
         ]
@@ -296,7 +300,7 @@ def test_before_command_run_anonymous(self, mocker, fake_metadata):
         mocked_anon_id = mocker.patch("kedro_telemetry.plugin._hash")
         mocked_anon_id.return_value = "digested"
         mocker.patch("kedro_telemetry.plugin.PACKAGE_NAME", "spaceflights")
-        mocker.patch("getpass.getuser", side_effect=Exception)
+        mocker.patch("kedro_telemetry.plugin.user_config_dir", side_effect=Exception)
 
         mocked_heap_call = mocker.patch("kedro_telemetry.plugin._send_heap_event")
         telemetry_hook = KedroTelemetryCLIHooks()