diff --git a/api/clients/disperser_client.go b/api/clients/disperser_client.go
index 50fc4500b0..2c5e46a748 100644
--- a/api/clients/disperser_client.go
+++ b/api/clients/disperser_client.go
@@ -107,10 +107,14 @@ func (c *disperserClient) DisperseBlob(ctx context.Context, data []byte, quorums
 }
 
 func (c *disperserClient) DisperseBlobAuthenticated(ctx context.Context, data []byte, quorums []uint8) (*disperser.BlobStatus, []byte, error) {
+	if c.signer == nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("uninitialized signer for authenticated dispersal")
+	}
+
 	// first check if signer is valid
 	accountId, err := c.signer.GetAccountID()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("please configure signer key if you want to use authenticated endpoint %w", err)
 	}
 
 	quorumNumbers := make([]uint32, len(quorums))
diff --git a/api/clients/eigenda_client.go b/api/clients/eigenda_client.go
index 3e571c9abc..cc7597f8ca 100644
--- a/api/clients/eigenda_client.go
+++ b/api/clients/eigenda_client.go
@@ -45,8 +45,10 @@ func NewEigenDAClient(log log.Logger, config EigenDAClientConfig) (*EigenDAClien
 	var signer core.BlobRequestSigner
 	if len(config.SignerPrivateKeyHex) == 64 {
 		signer = auth.NewLocalBlobRequestSigner(config.SignerPrivateKeyHex)
-	} else {
+	} else if len(config.SignerPrivateKeyHex) == 0 {
 		signer = auth.NewLocalNoopSigner()
+	} else {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid length for signer private key")
 	}
 
 	llConfig := NewConfig(host, port, config.ResponseTimeout, !config.DisableTLS)