diff --git a/app/controllers/stash_datacite/resources_controller.rb b/app/controllers/stash_datacite/resources_controller.rb
index 8759459f7..ff4bc2f06 100644
--- a/app/controllers/stash_datacite/resources_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/stash_datacite/resources_controller.rb
@@ -56,8 +56,9 @@ def submission
 
       StashEngine.repository.submit(resource_id: @resource_id)
 
-      @resource.curation_activities << StashEngine::CurationActivity.create(status: 'processing', note: 'Repository processing data',
-                                                                            user_id: current_user.id)
+      @resource.curation_activities << StashEngine::CurationActivity.create(
+        status: 'processing', note: 'Repository processing data', user_id: current_user&.id || 0
+      )
 
       @resource.reload
 
diff --git a/app/policies/stash_engine/resource_policy.rb b/app/policies/stash_engine/resource_policy.rb
index 5f620dd70..630d359b6 100644
--- a/app/policies/stash_engine/resource_policy.rb
+++ b/app/policies/stash_engine/resource_policy.rb
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ def curate?
 
     def curator_edit?
       (curate? &&
-      (@resource.current_resource_state.resource_state == 'submitted')) ||
-      (@resource.current_resource_state.resource_state == 'in_progress' && @resource.current_editor_id == @user.id)
+      (@resource.current_resource_state&.resource_state == 'submitted')) ||
+      (@resource.current_resource_state&.resource_state == 'in_progress' && @resource&.current_editor_id == @user.id)
     end
 
     class Scope