diff --git a/services/cache.py b/services/cache.py
index 9bd21cf5..b899277a 100644
--- a/services/cache.py
+++ b/services/cache.py
@@ -132,7 +132,9 @@ async def get_cached_topic_followers(topic_id: int):
 async def get_cached_author_followers(author_id: int):
     # follower profile
     cached_author = await redis.execute("GET", f"author:id:{author_id}")
-    author = json.loads(cache_author)
+    author = None
+    if cache_author:
+        author = json.loads(cache_author)
     if not author:
         return []