diff --git a/app/controllers/ontologies_controller.rb b/app/controllers/ontologies_controller.rb
index bdc90db40..7d4781618 100644
--- a/app/controllers/ontologies_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/ontologies_controller.rb
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ def show
 
     # Note: find_by_acronym includes ontology views
     @ontology = LinkedData::Client::Models::Ontology.find_by_acronym(params[:ontology], include: 'all').first
-    not_found if @ontology&.errors && [401, 403, 404].include?(@ontology&.status)
+    not_found if @ontology.nil? || (@ontology.errors && [401, 403, 404].include?(@ontology.status))
 
     # Handle the case where an ontology is converted to summary only. 
     # See: https://github.com/ncbo/bioportal_web_ui/issues/133.
diff --git a/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb b/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
index 3a024bc1f..6916f22aa 100644
--- a/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/projects_controller.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def index
 
   def show
     @project = LinkedData::Client::Models::Project.get(params[:id])
-    not_found if @project&.errors && @project.status == 404
+    not_found if @project.nil? || (@project.errors && @project.status == 404)
     @ontologies_used = []
     onts_used = @project.ontologyUsed
     onts_used.each do |ont_used|