diff --git a/lib/byline.php b/lib/byline.php
index 4d18062..bc608ad 100644
--- a/lib/byline.php
+++ b/lib/byline.php
@@ -4,11 +4,17 @@
 function gds_byline()
 {
 	?>
-	<span class="govuk-visually-hidden">Posted by: </span>
-	<?php
-	if (function_exists('coauthors_posts_links')) {
-		coauthors_posts_links(', ');
+	<span class="govuk-visually-hidden">Posted by: </span><?php
+	$tmp_author_id = get_post_field( 'post_author', $post->ID );
+	$tmp_user =  get_user_by('id', $author_id );
+	if (empty($tmp_user->user_login)) {
+		echo "Deleted user $tmp_author_id";
+		error_log("{$post->ID} has deleted user $tmp_author_id", 0);
 	} else {
-		?> <a href="<?php echo get_author_posts_url(get_the_author_meta('ID')) ?>" rel="author" class="govuk-link"><?php echo get_the_author() ?></a> <?php
+		if (function_exists('coauthors_posts_links')) {
+			coauthors_posts_links(', ');
+		} else {
+			?> <a href="<?php echo get_author_posts_url(get_the_author_meta('ID')) ?>" rel="author" class="govuk-link"><?php echo get_the_author() ?></a> <?php
+		}
 	}
 }