diff --git a/server/memorystore/providers/redis/store.go b/server/memorystore/providers/redis/store.go
index 6dbd21c..440fd7d 100644
--- a/server/memorystore/providers/redis/store.go
+++ b/server/memorystore/providers/redis/store.go
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ func (c *provider) GetBoolStoreEnvVariable(key string) (bool, error) {
 
 	return data == "1", nil
 }
+
 type AuthorProfile struct {
     ID int `json:"id"`
     // Add other fields as necessary
@@ -243,21 +244,20 @@ func (c *provider) GetUserAppDataFromRedis(userId string) (string, error) {
 
     // Use authorProfileMap["id"] here if necessary
     authorId := int(authorProfileMap["id"].(float64)) // convert float64 to int
-    if authorId != nil {
-        combinedData += fmt.Sprintf(`"profile": %s`, authorProfileString)
-    }
-    authorFollowsAuthorsString := c.store.Get(c.ctx, fmt.Sprintf(`author:%d:follows-authors`, authorId))
-    if authorFollowsAuthorsString != nil {
+    combinedData += fmt.Sprintf(`"profile": %s`, authorProfileString)
+
+    authorFollowsAuthorsString := c.store.Get(c.ctx, fmt.Sprintf(`author:%d:follows-authors`, authorId)).Val()
+    if authorFollowsAuthorsString != "" {
         combinedData += fmt.Sprintf(`,"authors": %s`, authorFollowsAuthorsString)
     }
 
-    authorFollowsTopicsString := c.store.Get(c.ctx, fmt.Sprintf(`author:%d:follows-topics`, authorId))
-    if authorFollowsTopicsString != nil {
+    authorFollowsTopicsString := c.store.Get(c.ctx, fmt.Sprintf(`author:%d:follows-topics`, authorId)).Val()
+    if authorFollowsTopicsString != "" {
         combinedData += fmt.Sprintf(`,"topics": %s`, authorFollowsTopicsString)
     }
 
-    authorFollowers := c.store.Get(c.ctx, fmt.Sprintf(`author:%d:followers`, authorId))
-    if authorFollowers != nil {
+    authorFollowers := c.store.Get(c.ctx, fmt.Sprintf(`author:%d:followers`, authorId)).Val()
+    if authorFollowers != "" {
         combinedData += fmt.Sprintf(`,"followers": %s`, authorFollowers)
     }