diff --git a/auth/middleware.go b/auth/middleware.go
index 771756d91367478a3fd0c1824a5229759e403c30..3fc6051962e8d661d85e860c340dcf9ab65ff507 100644
--- a/auth/middleware.go
+++ b/auth/middleware.go
@@ -120,13 +120,6 @@ 	var auth AuthContext
 	if err := LookupUser(ctx, username, &auth); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
-	if auth.UserType == USER_TYPE_SUSPENDED {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf(
-			"Account suspended with the following notice: %s\nContact support",
-			*auth.SuspensionNotice)
-	}
-
 	return &auth, nil
 }
 
@@ -212,6 +205,14 @@
 	auth, err := authForUsername(r.Context(), authCookie.Name)
 	if err != nil {
 		authError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusForbidden)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if auth.UserType == USER_TYPE_SUSPENDED {
+		authError(w, fmt.Sprintf(
+			"Account suspended with the following notice: %s\nContact support",
+			*auth.SuspensionNotice),
+			http.StatusForbidden)
 		return
 	}