diff --git a/rust/signed_doc/src/validator/rules/ownership/mod.rs b/rust/signed_doc/src/validator/rules/ownership/mod.rs
index 65f238b737..c7565a653c 100644
--- a/rust/signed_doc/src/validator/rules/ownership/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/signed_doc/src/validator/rules/ownership/mod.rs
@@ -91,20 +91,26 @@ impl DocumentOwnershipRule {
             Self::OriginalAuthor => {
                 // only run check for the non first version of the document
                 if doc_id != doc.doc_ver()? {
-                    let first_doc = provider
-                        .try_get_first_doc(doc_id)
-                        .await?
-                        .ok_or(anyhow::anyhow!("cannot get a first version document"))?;
+                    let Some(first_doc) = provider.try_get_first_doc(doc_id).await? else {
+                        doc.report().other(
+                            "Cannot find a first version of the referenced document",
+                            REPORT_CONTEXT,
+                        );
+                        return Ok(false);
+                    };
                     allowed_authors.extend(first_doc.authors());
                 }
             },
             Self::CollaboratorsFieldBased => {
                 // only run check for the non first version of the document
                 if doc_id != doc.doc_ver()? {
-                    let first_doc = provider
-                        .try_get_first_doc(doc_id)
-                        .await?
-                        .ok_or(anyhow::anyhow!("cannot get a first version document"))?;
+                    let Some(first_doc) = provider.try_get_first_doc(doc_id).await? else {
+                        doc.report().other(
+                            "Cannot find a first version of the referenced document",
+                            REPORT_CONTEXT,
+                        );
+                        return Ok(false);
+                    };
                     allowed_authors.extend(first_doc.authors());
 
                     let last_doc = provider.try_get_last_doc(doc_id).await?.ok_or(
diff --git a/rust/signed_doc/src/validator/rules/ownership/tests/mod.rs b/rust/signed_doc/src/validator/rules/ownership/tests/mod.rs
index 156ee8ad29..ada28b665e 100644
--- a/rust/signed_doc/src/validator/rules/ownership/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/rust/signed_doc/src/validator/rules/ownership/tests/mod.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,43 @@
 //! Ownership Validation Rule testing
 
+use catalyst_types::{catalyst_id::role_index::RoleId, uuid::UuidV7};
+use ed25519_dalek::ed25519::signature::Signer;
+
+use crate::{
+    builder::tests::Builder,
+    metadata::SupportedField,
+    providers::tests::TestCatalystProvider,
+    validator::rules::{DocumentOwnershipRule, utils::create_dummy_key_pair},
+};
+
 mod collaborators_field_based;
 mod ref_field_based;
 mod without_collaborators;
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn empty_provider_test() {
+    let provider = TestCatalystProvider::default();
+
+    let (a_sk, a_kid) = create_dummy_key_pair(RoleId::Role0);
+    let id = UuidV7::new();
+    let ver = UuidV7::new();
+    let doc = Builder::new()
+        .with_metadata_field(SupportedField::Id(id))
+        .with_metadata_field(SupportedField::Ver(ver))
+        .add_signature(|m| a_sk.sign(&m).to_vec(), a_kid.clone())
+        .unwrap()
+        .build();
+
+    let result = DocumentOwnershipRule::OriginalAuthor
+        .check_inner(&doc, &provider)
+        .await;
+    assert!(matches!(result, Ok(false)));
+    let result = DocumentOwnershipRule::RefFieldBased
+        .check_inner(&doc, &provider)
+        .await;
+    assert!(matches!(result, Ok(false)));
+    let result = DocumentOwnershipRule::CollaboratorsFieldBased
+        .check_inner(&doc, &provider)
+        .await;
+    assert!(matches!(result, Ok(false)));
+}