diff --git a/src/handlers/users.ts b/src/handlers/users.ts
index 90a7dbf..33a0da5 100644
--- a/src/handlers/users.ts
+++ b/src/handlers/users.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ export type AccessToken = {
   user_id: string
 }
 
+export type UserInfo = {
+  admin: boolean
+  displayname: string
+  name: string
+}
+
 export function mapUser(rcUser: RcUser): MatrixUser {
   return {
     user_id: '',
@@ -75,10 +81,8 @@ async function registerUser(user: MatrixUser): Promise<AccessToken> {
   return (await axios.post('/_synapse/admin/v1/register', user)).data
 }
 
-async function userAlreadyExists(user: MatrixUser): Promise<boolean> {
-  const user_data = (await axios.get('/_synapse/admin/v2/users/@' + user.username + ":" + getUserDomain())).data
-  log.debug(`Mapping exists:`, user_data)
-  return true
+async function getUserData(user: MatrixUser): Promise<UserInfo> {
+  return (await axios.get('/_synapse/admin/v2/users/@' + user.username + ":" + getUserDomain())).data
 }
 
 async function parseUserMemberships(rcUser: RcUser): Promise<void> {
@@ -123,9 +127,11 @@ export async function createMapping(
 
 export async function createUser(rcUser: RcUser): Promise<MatrixUser> {
   const user = mapUser(rcUser)
-  if (await userAlreadyExists(user)) {
-    log.info(`User ${rcUser.username} exists:`, user)
-  } else {
+  try {
+    const user_data = await getUserData(user)
+
+    log.info(`User ${rcUser.username} exists:`, user_data)
+  } catch (error) {
     const nonce = await getUserRegistrationNonce()
     const mac = generateHmac({ ...user, nonce })
     const accessToken = await registerUser({ ...user, nonce, mac })