diff --git a/backend/api/src/create-profile.ts b/backend/api/src/create-profile.ts
index 834de9f3..4c787884 100644
--- a/backend/api/src/create-profile.ts
+++ b/backend/api/src/create-profile.ts
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ import {getUser, log} from 'shared/utils'
 export const createProfile: APIHandler<'create-profile'> = async (body, auth) => {
   const pg = createSupabaseDirectClient()
 
-  const {data: existingUser} = await tryCatch(
+  const {data: existingProfile} = await tryCatch(
     pg.oneOrNone<{id: string}>('select id from profiles where user_id = $1', [auth.uid]),
   )
-  if (existingUser) {
-    throw new APIError(400, 'User already exists')
+  if (existingProfile) {
+    throw new APIError(400, 'Profile already exists')
   }
 
   await removePinnedUrlFromPhotoUrls(body)
diff --git a/backend/api/tests/unit/create-profile.unit.test.ts b/backend/api/tests/unit/create-profile.unit.test.ts
index f1b83c05..95a09835 100644
--- a/backend/api/tests/unit/create-profile.unit.test.ts
+++ b/backend/api/tests/unit/create-profile.unit.test.ts
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ describe('createProfile', () => {
       )
     })
 
-    it('should throw if the user already exists', async () => {
+    it('should throw if the profile already exists', async () => {
       const mockBody = {
         city: 'mockCity',
         gender: 'mockGender',
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ describe('createProfile', () => {
       ;(tryCatch as jest.Mock).mockResolvedValueOnce({data: true, error: null})
 
       await expect(createProfile(mockBody, mockAuth, mockReq)).rejects.toThrowError(
-        'User already exists',
+        'Profile already exists',
       )
     })