diff --git a/appview/state/router.go b/appview/state/router.go
--- a/appview/state/router.go
+++ b/appview/state/router.go
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ r.Handle("/static/*", s.pages.Static())
 
 	r.Get("/", s.HomeOrTimeline)
 	r.Get("/timeline", s.Timeline)
-	r.With(middleware.AuthMiddleware(s.oauth)).Get("/upgradeBanner", s.UpgradeBanner)
+	r.Get("/upgradeBanner", s.UpgradeBanner)
 
 	// special-case handler for serving tangled.org/core
 	r.Get("/core", s.Core())
diff --git a/appview/state/state.go b/appview/state/state.go
--- a/appview/state/state.go
+++ b/appview/state/state.go
@@ -249,6 +249,10 @@ }
 
 func (s *State) UpgradeBanner(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	user := s.oauth.GetUser(r)
+	if user == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
 	l := s.logger.With("handler", "UpgradeBanner")
 	l = l.With("did", user.Did)
 	l = l.With("handle", user.Handle)