diff --git a/src/flightplandb/user.py b/src/flightplandb/user.py
index 718f7e2..04c94ab 100644
--- a/src/flightplandb/user.py
+++ b/src/flightplandb/user.py
@@ -91,7 +91,12 @@ async def plans(
     async for i in internal.getiter(
         path=f"/user/{username}/plans", sort=sort, limit=limit, key=key
     ):
-        yield Plan(**i)
+        if isinstance(i, dict):
+            yield Plan(**i)
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"could not convert {i} to a Plan datatype; it is not a valid mapping"
+            )
 
 
 async def likes(
@@ -121,7 +126,12 @@ async def likes(
     async for i in internal.getiter(
         path=f"/user/{username}/likes", sort=sort, limit=limit, key=key
     ):
-        yield Plan(**i)
+        if isinstance(i, dict):
+            yield Plan(**i)
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"could not convert {i} to a Plan datatype; it is not a valid mapping"
+            )
 
 
 async def search(
@@ -150,4 +160,9 @@ async def search(
     async for i in internal.getiter(
         path="/search/users", limit=limit, params={"q": username}, key=key
     ):
-        yield UserSmall(**i)
+        if isinstance(i, dict):
+            yield UserSmall(**i)
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"could not convert {i} to a Plan datatype; it is not a valid mapping"
+            )
diff --git a/tests/test_user.py b/tests/test_user.py
index 77b1d0f..162098a 100644
--- a/tests/test_user.py
+++ b/tests/test_user.py
@@ -241,6 +241,17 @@ async def test_user_plans(patched_internal_getiter):
     patched_internal_getiter.assert_has_calls(correct_calls)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.allow_hosts(["127.0.0.1", "::1"])
+@mock.patch("flightplandb.internal.getiter")
+async def test_user_invalid_plan(patched_internal_getiter):
+    patched_internal_getiter.return_value = AsyncIter(["foobar"])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        [x async for x in flightplandb.user.plans("lemon")]
+    # check that UserAPI method made correct request of FlightPlanDB
+    patched_internal_getiter.assert_called_once_with(path="/user/lemon/plans", sort="created", limit=100, key=None)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.allow_hosts(["127.0.0.1", "::1"])
 @mock.patch("flightplandb.internal.getiter")
 async def test_user_likes(patched_internal_getiter):
@@ -362,6 +373,17 @@ async def test_user_likes(patched_internal_getiter):
     patched_internal_getiter.assert_has_calls(correct_calls)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.allow_hosts(["127.0.0.1", "::1"])
+@mock.patch("flightplandb.internal.getiter")
+async def test_user_invalid_liked_plan(patched_internal_getiter):
+    patched_internal_getiter.return_value = AsyncIter(["foobar"])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        [x async for x in flightplandb.user.likes("lemon")]
+    # check that UserAPI method made correct request of FlightPlanDB
+    patched_internal_getiter.assert_called_once_with(path="/user/lemon/likes", sort="created", limit=100, key=None)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.allow_hosts(["127.0.0.1", "::1"])
 @mock.patch("flightplandb.internal.getiter")
 async def test_user_search(patched_internal_getiter):
@@ -421,3 +443,14 @@ async def test_user_search(patched_internal_getiter):
     assert response_list == correct_response_list
     # check that UserAPI method made correct request of FlightPlanDB
     patched_internal_getiter.assert_has_calls(correct_calls)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.allow_hosts(["127.0.0.1", "::1"])
+@mock.patch("flightplandb.internal.getiter")
+async def test_user_invalid_searched_plan(patched_internal_getiter):
+    patched_internal_getiter.return_value = AsyncIter(["foobar"])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        [x async for x in flightplandb.user.search("lemon")]
+    # check that UserAPI method made correct request of FlightPlanDB
+    patched_internal_getiter.assert_called_once_with(path="/search/users", limit=100, params={"q": "lemon"}, key=None)