diff --git a/kolibri/plugins/user_profile/tasks.py b/kolibri/plugins/user_profile/tasks.py
index 20328894490..173607d3c61 100644
--- a/kolibri/plugins/user_profile/tasks.py
+++ b/kolibri/plugins/user_profile/tasks.py
@@ -2,10 +2,11 @@
 from django.core.management import call_command
 from morango.errors import MorangoError
 from rest_framework import serializers
-from rest_framework.exceptions import AuthenticationFailed
+from rest_framework.exceptions import ValidationError
 from rest_framework.status import HTTP_201_CREATED
 
 from .utils import TokenGenerator
+from kolibri.core import error_constants
 from kolibri.core.auth.constants import role_kinds
 from kolibri.core.auth.models import FacilityUser
 from kolibri.core.auth.tasks import PeerImportSingleSyncJobValidator
@@ -40,9 +41,12 @@ class MergeUserValidator(PeerImportSingleSyncJobValidator):
     def validate(self, data):
         try:
             job_data = super(MergeUserValidator, self).validate(data)
-        except AuthenticationFailed:
-            self.create_remote_user(data)
-            job_data = super(MergeUserValidator, self).validate(data)
+        except ValidationError as e:
+            if e.detail.code == error_constants.AUTHENTICATION_FAILED:
+                self.create_remote_user(data)
+                job_data = super(MergeUserValidator, self).validate(data)
+            else:
+                raise
 
         job_data["kwargs"]["local_user_id"] = data["local_user_id"].id
         job_data["extra_metadata"].update(user_fullname=data["local_user_id"].full_name)