diff --git a/java/google/registry/ui/server/registrar/SessionUtils.java b/java/google/registry/ui/server/registrar/SessionUtils.java
index cb07e1c73..ed85614c6 100644
--- a/java/google/registry/ui/server/registrar/SessionUtils.java
+++ b/java/google/registry/ui/server/registrar/SessionUtils.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import com.google.appengine.api.users.UserService;
 import com.google.common.base.Optional;
 import com.google.common.base.Predicate;
 import com.google.common.collect.FluentIterable;
+import com.googlecode.objectify.Key;
 import google.registry.model.registrar.Registrar;
 import google.registry.model.registrar.RegistrarContact;
 import google.registry.util.FormattingLogger;
@@ -121,7 +122,12 @@ public class SessionUtils {
     if (contact == null) {
       return Optional.absent();
     }
-    return Optional.of(ofy().load().key(contact.getParent()).safe());
+    Optional<Registrar> result = Optional.fromNullable(ofy().load().key(contact.getParent()).now());
+    if (!result.isPresent()) {
+      logger.severefmt(
+          "A contact record exists for non-existent registrar: %s.", Key.create(contact));
+    }
+    return result;
   }
 
   /** @see #hasAccessToRegistrar(Registrar, String) */
diff --git a/javatests/google/registry/ui/server/registrar/SessionUtilsTest.java b/javatests/google/registry/ui/server/registrar/SessionUtilsTest.java
index ce589bf6e..554dc7099 100644
--- a/javatests/google/registry/ui/server/registrar/SessionUtilsTest.java
+++ b/javatests/google/registry/ui/server/registrar/SessionUtilsTest.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ package google.registry.ui.server.registrar;
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 import static google.registry.testing.AppEngineRule.THE_REGISTRAR_GAE_USER_ID;
+import static google.registry.testing.DatastoreHelper.deleteResource;
 import static org.mockito.Matchers.eq;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verifyNoMoreInteractions;
@@ -103,10 +104,17 @@ public class SessionUtilsTest {
     verify(session).invalidate();
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testCheckRegistrarConsoleLogin_orphanedContactIsDenied() throws Exception {
+    deleteResource(Registrar.loadByClientId("TheRegistrar"));
+    when(userService.getCurrentUser()).thenReturn(jart);
+    assertThat(sessionUtils.checkRegistrarConsoleLogin(req)).isFalse();
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void testCheckRegistrarConsoleLogin_notLoggedIn_throwsIse() throws Exception {
     thrown.expect(IllegalStateException.class);
-    assertThat(sessionUtils.checkRegistrarConsoleLogin(req)).isNull();
+    boolean unused = sessionUtils.checkRegistrarConsoleLogin(req);
   }
 
   @Test