diff --git a/ibm/data_source_ibm_cloud_shell_account_settings.go b/ibm/data_source_ibm_cloud_shell_account_settings.go
index e0f2d41fcd..e0d029e59f 100644
--- a/ibm/data_source_ibm_cloud_shell_account_settings.go
+++ b/ibm/data_source_ibm_cloud_shell_account_settings.go
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func dataSourceIBMCloudShellAccountSettingsRead(context context.Context, d *sche
 	getAccountSettingsOptions.SetAccountID(d.Get("account_id").(string))
 
 	accountSettings, response, err := ibmCloudShellClient.GetAccountSettingsWithContext(context, getAccountSettingsOptions)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil || accountSettings == nil {
 		log.Printf("[DEBUG] GetAccountSettingsWithContext failed %s\n%s", err, response)
 		return diag.FromErr(fmt.Errorf("GetAccountSettingsWithContext failed %s\n%s", err, response))
 	}