diff --git a/app/main/views/sign_in.py b/app/main/views/sign_in.py
index 402e61a08..6de46b023 100644
--- a/app/main/views/sign_in.py
+++ b/app/main/views/sign_in.py
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ def _get_access_token(code, state):
     url = f"{base_url}{cli_assert}&{cli_assert_type}&{code_param}&grant_type=authorization_code"
     headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer %s" % token}
     response = requests.post(url, headers=headers)
+    if response.json().get("access_token") is None:
+        # Capture the response json here so it hopefully shows up in error reports
+        current_app.logger.error(f"Error when getting access token {response.json()}")
+        raise KeyError(f"'access_token' {response.json()}")
     access_token = response.json()["access_token"]
     return access_token
 
@@ -84,13 +88,17 @@ def _do_login_dot_gov():
     code = request.args.get("code")
     state = request.args.get("state")
     login_gov_error = request.args.get("error")
-    if code and state:
-        access_token = _get_access_token(code, state)
-        user_email, user_uuid = _get_user_email_and_uuid(access_token)
-        redirect_url = request.args.get("next")
+
+    if login_gov_error:
+        current_app.logger.error(f"login.gov error: {login_gov_error}")
+        raise Exception(f"Could not login with login.gov {login_gov_error}")
+    elif code and state:
 
         # activate the user
         try:
+            access_token = _get_access_token(code, state)
+            user_email, user_uuid = _get_user_email_and_uuid(access_token)
+            redirect_url = request.args.get("next")
             user = user_api_client.get_user_by_uuid_or_email(user_uuid, user_email)
             activate_user(user["id"])
         except BaseException as be:  # noqa B036
@@ -99,9 +107,6 @@ def _do_login_dot_gov():
 
         return redirect(url_for("main.show_accounts_or_dashboard", next=redirect_url))
 
-    elif login_gov_error:
-        current_app.logger.error(f"login.gov error: {login_gov_error}")
-        raise Exception(f"Could not login with login.gov {login_gov_error}")
     # end login.gov