diff --git a/lib/mindwendel/accounts.ex b/lib/mindwendel/accounts.ex
index 009783bc..76d4f877 100644
--- a/lib/mindwendel/accounts.ex
+++ b/lib/mindwendel/accounts.ex
@@ -92,13 +92,13 @@ defmodule Mindwendel.Accounts do
 
   def add_moderating_user(%Brainstorming{} = brainstorming, user_id) when is_binary(user_id) do
     case Ecto.UUID.dump(user_id) do
-      :error -> brainstorming
+      :error -> {:error}
       {:ok, _} -> add_moderating_user(brainstorming, get_or_create_user(user_id))
     end
   end
 
-  def add_moderating_user(%Brainstorming{} = brainstorming, user_id) when is_nil(user_id) do
-    brainstorming
+  def add_moderating_user(%Brainstorming{} = _brainstorming, user_id) when is_nil(user_id) do
+    {:error}
   end
 
   @doc """
diff --git a/lib/mindwendel/brainstormings.ex b/lib/mindwendel/brainstormings.ex
index db840431..542939ca 100644
--- a/lib/mindwendel/brainstormings.ex
+++ b/lib/mindwendel/brainstormings.ex
@@ -230,6 +230,15 @@ defmodule Mindwendel.Brainstormings do
     brainstorming
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Validates the given secret against the brainstorming. Returns true/false.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> validate_admin_secret(brainstorming, abc)
+      false
+
+  """
   def validate_admin_secret(brainstorming, admin_secret_id) do
     brainstorming.admin_url_id == admin_secret_id
   end
diff --git a/lib/mindwendel_web/live/brainstorming_live/show.ex b/lib/mindwendel_web/live/brainstorming_live/show.ex
index 6d32e8ee..5a95d326 100644
--- a/lib/mindwendel_web/live/brainstorming_live/show.ex
+++ b/lib/mindwendel_web/live/brainstorming_live/show.ex
@@ -18,11 +18,12 @@ defmodule MindwendelWeb.BrainstormingLive.Show do
     brainstorming = Brainstormings.get_brainstorming!(id)
     admin_secret = get_connect_params(socket)["adminSecret"]
 
-    case Brainstormings.validate_admin_secret(brainstorming, admin_secret) do
-      true -> Accounts.add_moderating_user(brainstorming, current_user_id)
-      _ -> Accounts.merge_brainstorming_user(brainstorming, current_user_id)
+    if Brainstormings.validate_admin_secret(brainstorming, admin_secret) do
+      Accounts.add_moderating_user(brainstorming, current_user_id)
     end
 
+    Accounts.merge_brainstorming_user(brainstorming, current_user_id)
+
     lanes = Lanes.get_lanes_for_brainstorming_with_labels_filtered(id)
     # load the user, also for permissions of brainstormings
     current_user = Mindwendel.Accounts.get_user(current_user_id)