diff --git a/internal/api/handlers/pr_settings.go b/internal/api/handlers/pr_settings.go
index fa6c8ed..23aca5d 100644
--- a/internal/api/handlers/pr_settings.go
+++ b/internal/api/handlers/pr_settings.go
@@ -21,12 +21,22 @@ func (h *PRSettingsHandler) resolveRepo(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 	ownerName := chi.URLParam(r, "owner")
 	repoName := chi.URLParam(r, "repo")
 	var owner models.User
-	if found, _ := h.db.Where("username = ?", ownerName).Get(&owner); !found {
+	found, err := h.db.Where("username = ?", ownerName).Get(&owner)
+	if err != nil {
+		jsonError(w, "database error: "+err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	if !found {
 		jsonError(w, "repository not found", http.StatusNotFound)
 		return nil, false
 	}
 	var repo models.Repository
-	if found, _ := h.db.Where("owner_id = ? AND name = ?", owner.ID, repoName).Get(&repo); !found {
+	found, err = h.db.Where("owner_id = ? AND name = ?", owner.ID, repoName).Get(&repo)
+	if err != nil {
+		jsonError(w, "database error: "+err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	if !found {
 		jsonError(w, "repository not found", http.StatusNotFound)
 		return nil, false
 	}
@@ -92,7 +102,12 @@ func (h *PRSettingsHandler) AddDefaultReviewer(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Re
 	}
 
 	var u models.User
-	if found, _ := h.db.Where("username = ?", body.Username).Get(&u); !found {
+	found, err := h.db.Where("username = ?", body.Username).Get(&u)
+	if err != nil {
+		jsonError(w, "database error: "+err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+	if !found {
 		jsonError(w, "user not found", http.StatusNotFound)
 		return
 	}