diff --git a/inventory-app/main.py b/inventory-app/main.py
index e1a413d..f4cd3f5 100755
--- a/inventory-app/main.py
+++ b/inventory-app/main.py
@@ -51,14 +51,12 @@ from oidc import page_oidc, login_required, read_user
 from api import page_api
 
 def check_foreign_key_format(item):
-    try:
-        if type(item["inventory"]["owner"]["foreign_id"]) == ObjectId:
-            return True
-        if type(item["inventory"]["user"]["foreign_id"]) == ObjectId:
-            return True
-    except:
-        pass
-    return False
+    owner = item.get("inventory", {}).get("owner", {})
+    user = item.get("inventory", {}).get("user", {})
+    if owner.get("foreign_id", False):
+        return not bool(owner.get("username"))
+    if user.get("foreign_id", False):
+        return not bool(user.get("username"))
 
 def render_markdown(text):
     if not text: