diff --git a/backend/src/backend/routers/users.py b/backend/src/backend/routers/users.py
index 6dd1b584..d0356dc3 100644
--- a/backend/src/backend/routers/users.py
+++ b/backend/src/backend/routers/users.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from fastapi import APIRouter
 from fastapi import HTTPException
+from pydantic import EmailStr
 from sqlalchemy.exc import NoResultFound
 
 from backend.dependencies.db import DBSession
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ async def read_users(session: DBSession):
 
 
 @router.get("/{email}", response_model=UserResponse)
-async def read_user(email: str, session: DBSession):
+async def read_user(email: EmailStr, session: DBSession):
     """Endpoint to retrieve a user by email."""
     try:
         user = await get_user(session, email)
diff --git a/backend/src/backend/services/users.py b/backend/src/backend/services/users.py
index 2a627452..4d775b1e 100644
--- a/backend/src/backend/services/users.py
+++ b/backend/src/backend/services/users.py
@@ -41,11 +41,10 @@ async def get_user(session: AsyncSession, email: str) -> User:
     try:
         stmt = select(User).where(User.email == email)
         user = await session.scalar(stmt)
+        if user is None:
+            raise NoResultFound(f"User with email {email} not found")
         logger.info(f"Successfully retrieved user with email: {email}")
-        return cast(User, user)
-    except NoResultFound:
-        logger.error(f"User with email {email} not found")
-        raise
+        return user
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error(f"Failed to retrieve user with email {email}: {str(e)}")
         raise