diff --git a/auth/middleware.go b/auth/middleware.go
index d157ec3f816ba5bf3b4d021bdaf1bed4a560fb05..9bf442cf0ee3f4a22c7d60215c23b5ca7aa09a99 100644
--- a/auth/middleware.go
+++ b/auth/middleware.go
@@ -302,10 +302,14 @@
 	var auth *AuthContext
 	if internalAuth.OAuthClientUUID != "" {
 		auth, err = authForOAuthClient(r.Context(), internalAuth.OAuthClientUUID)
-		auth.AuthMethod = AUTH_INTERNAL
+		if err == nil {
+			auth.AuthMethod = AUTH_INTERNAL
+		}
 	} else if internalAuth.Name != "" {
 		auth, err = authForUsername(r.Context(), internalAuth.Name)
-		auth.AuthMethod = AUTH_INTERNAL
+		if err == nil {
+			auth.AuthMethod = AUTH_INTERNAL
+		}
 	} else {
 		// Using anonymous internal auth. This is only used in one specific
 		// situation: registering for a new account.