diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-api/lib/auth/strategies.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-api/lib/auth/strategies.js
index a6bc8e94e..879b3f55b 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-api/lib/auth/strategies.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-api/lib/auth/strategies.js
@@ -163,7 +163,9 @@ TokensStrategy.prototype.authenticate = function(req) {
     authenticateUserToken(req).then(user => {
         this.success(user,{scope:user.permissions});
     }).catch(err => {
-        log.trace("token authentication failure: "+err.stack)
+        if (err) {
+            log.trace("token authentication failure: "+err.stack?err.stack:err)
+        }
         this.fail(401);
     });
 }