diff --git a/components/ILIAS/User/classes/Gallery/class.ilUsersGalleryParticipants.php b/components/ILIAS/User/classes/Gallery/class.ilUsersGalleryParticipants.php
index 560646982fc7..9ee49ceb882e 100755
--- a/components/ILIAS/User/classes/Gallery/class.ilUsersGalleryParticipants.php
+++ b/components/ILIAS/User/classes/Gallery/class.ilUsersGalleryParticipants.php
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 <?php
 
-declare(strict_types=1);
-
 /**
  * This file is part of ILIAS, a powerful learning management system
  * published by ILIAS open source e-Learning e.V.
@@ -18,6 +16,8 @@
  *
  *********************************************************************/
 
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
 /**
  * Class ilUsersGalleryParticipants
  */
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ protected function getUsers(array $usr_ids): array
                 continue;
             }
 
+            if (!ilObjUser::userExists([$usr_id])) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             if (!($user = ilObjectFactory::getInstanceByObjId($usr_id, false)) || !($user instanceof ilObjUser)) {
                 continue;
             }