diff --git a/node-registrar/client/account.go b/node-registrar/client/account.go
index 808fc52..f5e3c5b 100644
--- a/node-registrar/client/account.go
+++ b/node-registrar/client/account.go
@@ -111,11 +111,15 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) createAccount(relays []string, rmbEncKey string) (acco
 		return account, mnemonic, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to send request to the registrar")
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return account, mnemonic, errors.New("failed to create account, no response received")
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusCreated {
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return account, mnemonic, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to create account with status %s", resp.Status)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&account)
 
@@ -146,6 +150,7 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) getAccount(id uint64) (account Account, err error) {
 	if resp == nil {
 		return account, errors.New("failed to get account, no response received")
 	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
 		return account, ErrorAccountNotFound
@@ -155,7 +160,6 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) getAccount(id uint64) (account Account, err error) {
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return account, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to get account by twin id with status code %s", resp.Status)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&account)
 	return
diff --git a/node-registrar/client/farm.go b/node-registrar/client/farm.go
index e416fd4..f4112e0 100644
--- a/node-registrar/client/farm.go
+++ b/node-registrar/client/farm.go
@@ -156,6 +156,9 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) createFarm(farmName, stellarAddr string, dedicated boo
 		return farmID, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to send request to create farm")
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return farmID, errors.New("failed to create farm, no response received")
+	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusCreated {
@@ -214,6 +217,9 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) updateFarm(farmID uint64, opts []UpdateFarmOpts) (err
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to send request to update farm")
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return errors.New("failed to update farm, no response received")
+	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
@@ -234,6 +240,11 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) getFarm(id uint64) (farm Farm, err error) {
 		return farm, err
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return farm, errors.New("failed to get farm, no response received")
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
 		return farm, ErrorFarmNotFound
 	}
@@ -242,7 +253,6 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) getFarm(id uint64) (farm Farm, err error) {
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return farm, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to get farm with status code %s", resp.Status)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&farm); err != nil {
 		return farm, err
@@ -276,11 +286,16 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) listFarms(opts ...ListFarmOpts) (farms []Farm, err err
 		return farms, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to send request to list farm")
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return farms, errors.New("failed to list farms, no response received")
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return farms, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to get list farms with status code %s", resp.Status)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
 	if err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&farms); err != nil {
 		return farms, errors.Wrap(err, "failed to decode response body")
 	}
diff --git a/node-registrar/client/node.go b/node-registrar/client/node.go
index b2ba5a8..5a4c328 100644
--- a/node-registrar/client/node.go
+++ b/node-registrar/client/node.go
@@ -286,11 +286,15 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) updateNode(opts []UpdateNodeOpts) (err error) {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to send request to update node")
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return errors.New("no response received")
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to update node with twin id %d with status code %s", c.twinID, resp.Status)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	return
 }
@@ -330,11 +334,15 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) reportUptime(report UptimeReport) (err error) {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to send request to update uptime of the node")
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return errors.New("no response received")
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusCreated {
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to update node uptime for node with id %d with status code %s", c.nodeID, resp.Status)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	return
 }
@@ -350,6 +358,11 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) getNode(id uint64) (node Node, err error) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return node, errors.New("no response received")
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
 		return node, ErrorNodeNotFound
 	}
@@ -358,7 +371,6 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) getNode(id uint64) (node Node, err error) {
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return node, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to get node with status code %s", resp.Status)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&node)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -409,6 +421,7 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) listNodes(opts []ListNodeOpts) (nodes []Node, err erro
 	if resp == nil {
 		return nodes, errors.New("no response received")
 	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusNotFound {
 		return nodes, ErrorNodeNotFound
@@ -418,7 +431,6 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) listNodes(opts []ListNodeOpts) (nodes []Node, err erro
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return nodes, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to list nodes with with status code %s", resp.Status)
 	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&nodes)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/node-registrar/client/zos_version.go b/node-registrar/client/zos_version.go
index 9ce848d..74f4bce 100644
--- a/node-registrar/client/zos_version.go
+++ b/node-registrar/client/zos_version.go
@@ -33,13 +33,16 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) getZosVersion() (version ZosVersion, err error) {
 		return version, err
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return version, errors.New("no response received")
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
 		err = parseResponseError(resp.Body)
 		return version, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to get zos version with status code %s", resp.Status)
 	}
 
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
-
 	var versionString string
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&versionString)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -110,6 +113,9 @@ func (c *RegistrarClient) setZosVersion(v string, safeToUpgrade bool) (err error
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to send request to get zos version from the registrar")
 	}
 
+	if resp == nil {
+		return errors.New("no response received")
+	}
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 
 	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {