diff --git a/lib/bot/middleware/oniotmessage.js b/lib/bot/middleware/oniotmessage.js
index b20aaf819..c68d0b151 100644
--- a/lib/bot/middleware/oniotmessage.js
+++ b/lib/bot/middleware/oniotmessage.js
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ exports.createErrorHandler = (lambda, opts) => {
             if (error instanceof Errors.TimeTravel) {
                 logMsg = 'rejecting message with lower timestamp than previous';
             }
-            else if (error instanceof Errors.NotFound) {
+            else if (error instanceof Errors.NotFound || error instanceof Errors.UnknownAuthor) {
                 logMsg = 'rejecting message, either sender or payload identity was not found';
             }
             else if (error instanceof Errors.InvalidMessageFormat) {
diff --git a/lib/errors.js b/lib/errors.js
index ce77d6bca..72ef378a6 100644
--- a/lib/errors.js
+++ b/lib/errors.js
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ const errors = {
     NotFound: createError('NotFound'),
     InvalidSignature: createError('InvalidSignature'),
     InvalidAuthor: createError('InvalidAuthor'),
+    UnknownAuthor: createError('UnknownAuthor'),
     InvalidVersion: createError('InvalidVersion'),
     InvalidMessageFormat: createError('InvalidMessageFormat'),
     PutFailed: createError('PutFailed'),
diff --git a/lib/identities.js b/lib/identities.js
index 634303cb1..034b1723c 100644
--- a/lib/identities.js
+++ b/lib/identities.js
@@ -22,10 +22,16 @@ class Identities {
     constructor(opts) {
         this.metaByPub = (pub) => __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             this.logger.debug('get identity metadata by pub', pub);
-            return this.pubKeys.get({
-                Key: { pub },
-                ConsistentRead: true
-            });
+            try {
+                return yield this.pubKeys.get({
+                    Key: { pub },
+                    ConsistentRead: true
+                });
+            }
+            catch (err) {
+                Errors.ignore(err, Errors.NotFound);
+                throw new Errors.UnknownAuthor(`with pub: ${pub}`);
+            }
         });
         this.byPub = (pub) => __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             const { link } = yield this.metaByPub(pub);
@@ -37,7 +43,7 @@ class Identities {
                     pub,
                     error: err.stack
                 });
-                throw new NotFound('identity with pub: ' + pub);
+                throw new Errors.UnknownAuthor('with pub: ' + pub);
             }
         });
         this.byPermalink = (permalink) => __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
diff --git a/src/bot/middleware/oniotmessage.ts b/src/bot/middleware/oniotmessage.ts
index 8455ca42c..502a0a3b0 100644
--- a/src/bot/middleware/oniotmessage.ts
+++ b/src/bot/middleware/oniotmessage.ts
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ export const createErrorHandler = (lambda, opts) => {
       if (error instanceof Errors.TimeTravel) {
         logMsg = 'rejecting message with lower timestamp than previous'
         // @ts-ignore
-      } else if (error instanceof Errors.NotFound) {
+      } else if (error instanceof Errors.NotFound || error instanceof Errors.UnknownAuthor) {
         logMsg = 'rejecting message, either sender or payload identity was not found'
         // @ts-ignore
       } else if (error instanceof Errors.InvalidMessageFormat) {
diff --git a/src/errors.ts b/src/errors.ts
index 77688191f..9467fc6d7 100644
--- a/src/errors.ts
+++ b/src/errors.ts
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ const errors = {
   NotFound: createError('NotFound'),
   InvalidSignature: createError('InvalidSignature'),
   InvalidAuthor: createError('InvalidAuthor'),
+  UnknownAuthor: createError('UnknownAuthor'),
   InvalidVersion: createError('InvalidVersion'),
   InvalidMessageFormat: createError('InvalidMessageFormat'),
   PutFailed: createError('PutFailed'),
diff --git a/src/identities.ts b/src/identities.ts
index cd8cf6ee7..73e676863 100644
--- a/src/identities.ts
+++ b/src/identities.ts
@@ -44,10 +44,15 @@ export default class Identities {
 
   public metaByPub = async (pub:string) => {
     this.logger.debug('get identity metadata by pub', pub)
-    return this.pubKeys.get({
-      Key: { pub },
-      ConsistentRead: true
-    })
+    try {
+      return await this.pubKeys.get({
+        Key: { pub },
+        ConsistentRead: true
+      })
+    } catch (err) {
+      Errors.ignore(err, Errors.NotFound)
+      throw new Errors.UnknownAuthor(`with pub: ${pub}`)
+    }
   }
 
   public byPub = async (pub:string):Promise<IIdentity> => {
@@ -60,7 +65,7 @@ export default class Identities {
         error: err.stack
       })
 
-      throw new NotFound('identity with pub: ' + pub)
+      throw new Errors.UnknownAuthor('with pub: ' + pub)
     }
   }