diff --git a/backend/src/app/controllers/familyMember.controller.ts b/backend/src/app/controllers/familyMember.controller.ts
index 793d381c..a8a8d963 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/controllers/familyMember.controller.ts
+++ b/backend/src/app/controllers/familyMember.controller.ts
@@ -92,19 +92,18 @@ familyMemberRouter.post(
   asyncWrapper<LinkFamilyMemberRequest>(async (req: any, res: any) => {
     let familyMember = null
 
-    if (req.body.email != null) {
+    if (req.body.email) {
       const familyMemberEmail = req.body.email
       familyMember = await findFamilyMemberByEmail(familyMemberEmail)
-    } else if (req.body.mobileNumber != null) {
-      const familyMemberMobileNumber = req.body.mobileNumber
+    } else if (req.body.phonenumber) {
+      const familyMemberMobileNumber = req.body.phonenumber
       familyMember = await findFamilyMemberByMobileNumber(
         familyMemberMobileNumber
       )
+    } else {
+      throw new Error('No email or mobile number provided')
     }
 
-    // else{
-    // TODO: throw error
-    // }
     const calculatedAge =
       familyMember?.dateOfBirth != null
         ? new Date().getFullYear() - familyMember.dateOfBirth!.getFullYear()
diff --git a/backend/src/app/services/familyMember.service.ts b/backend/src/app/services/familyMember.service.ts
index 595e1a9c..a497f555 100644
--- a/backend/src/app/services/familyMember.service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/app/services/familyMember.service.ts
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ export async function findFamilyMemberByEmail(
 export async function findFamilyMemberByMobileNumber(
   familyMemberMobileNumber: string
 ): Promise<WithUser<PatientDocument>> {
+  console.log(familyMemberMobileNumber)
   const patient = await PatientModel.findOne({
     mobileNumber: familyMemberMobileNumber,
   }).populate<{