diff --git a/app/src/router/guards/patientGuard/PatientGuard.test.tsx b/app/src/router/guards/patientGuard/PatientGuard.test.tsx
index ed9873351..f46f17a42 100644
--- a/app/src/router/guards/patientGuard/PatientGuard.test.tsx
+++ b/app/src/router/guards/patientGuard/PatientGuard.test.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { render, RenderResult, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { render, RenderResult, waitFor, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { routes } from '../../../types/generic/routes';
 import PatientGuard from './PatientGuard';
 import { buildPatientDetails } from '../../../helpers/test/testBuilders';
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ describe('AuthGuard', () => {
 
         renderGuard();
 
+        expect(screen.queryAllByText(`patient number: ${patientDetails?.nhsNumber}`)).toHaveLength(
+            0,
+        );
+
         await waitFor(async () => {
             expect(mockedUseNavigate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(routes.SEARCH_PATIENT);
         });
diff --git a/app/src/router/guards/patientGuard/PatientGuard.tsx b/app/src/router/guards/patientGuard/PatientGuard.tsx
index 2f7f9b6e1..f94cedd41 100644
--- a/app/src/router/guards/patientGuard/PatientGuard.tsx
+++ b/app/src/router/guards/patientGuard/PatientGuard.tsx
@@ -11,11 +11,17 @@ type Props = {
 const PatientGuard = ({ children, navigationPath }: Props): React.JSX.Element => {
     const patient = usePatient();
     const navigate = useNavigate();
+
     useEffect(() => {
         if (!patient) {
             navigate(navigationPath || routes.SEARCH_PATIENT);
         }
     }, [patient, navigate, navigationPath]);
+
+    if (!patient) {
+        return <></>;
+    }
+
     return <>{children}</>;
 };