diff --git a/controller/action/DownloadActions.class.php b/controller/action/DownloadActions.class.php
index 619e5fff..8e450c14 100644
--- a/controller/action/DownloadActions.class.php
+++ b/controller/action/DownloadActions.class.php
@@ -180,11 +180,18 @@ class DownloadActions extends Actions
 
     $prefineryUser = Prefinery::findUser($userId);
 
-    preg_match('/\?r\=(\w+)/', $prefineryUser['share_link'], $matches);
+    if ($prefineryUser)
+    {
+      preg_match('/\?r\=(\w+)/', $prefineryUser['share_link'], $matches);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      $matches = null;
+    }
 
     return $vars + [
       'prefineryUser' => $prefineryUser,
-      'referralCode'  => $matches[1] ?: 'unknown'
+      'referralCode'  => $matches[1] ?? 'unknown'
     ];
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/thirdparty/Prefinery.class.php b/lib/thirdparty/Prefinery.class.php
index 5df610e7..91c1215d 100644
--- a/lib/thirdparty/Prefinery.class.php
+++ b/lib/thirdparty/Prefinery.class.php
@@ -33,7 +33,18 @@ class Prefinery
       }
     }
 
-    $user = is_numeric($emailOrId) ? Prefinery::findTesterById($emailOrId) : Prefinery::findTesterByEmail($emailOrId);
+    try
+    {
+      $user = is_numeric($emailOrId) ? Prefinery::findTesterById($emailOrId) : Prefinery::findTesterByEmail($emailOrId);
+    }
+    catch (PrefineryException $e)
+    {
+      if (stripos($e->getMessage(), 'Tester is hidden.') === false)
+      {
+        throw $e;
+      }
+    }
+
     if ($user)
     {
       unset($user['invitation_code']); // so we dont leak it