diff --git a/config.yml.sample b/config.yml.sample
index 36407d04..f185d1c1 100644
--- a/config.yml.sample
+++ b/config.yml.sample
@@ -262,10 +262,12 @@ auth:
     enabled: true
   # OpenID configuration will allow users to authenticate through a third-party OpenID Connect compatible provider.<br/>
   # The provider needs to support the `openid`, `profile` and `email` scopes.<br/>
-  # **Note:** The frontend expects to be redirected after authentication by the third party
+  # **Note:** Some openid providers (like gitlab) only make the email of the user available through openid claims if they have set it to be publicly visible.
+  # If the email is not public in those cases, authenticating will fail.
+  # **Note 2:** The frontend expects to be redirected after authentication by the third party
   # to <frontend-url>/auth/openid/<auth key>. Please make sure to configure the redirect url with your third party
   # auth service accordingy if you're using the default vikunja frontend.
-  # Take a look at the [default config file](https://kolaente.dev/vikunja/api/src/branch/master/config.yml.sample) for more information about how to configure openid authentication.
+  # Take a look at the [default config file](https://kolaente.dev/vikunja/api/src/branch/main/config.yml.sample) for more information about how to configure openid authentication.
   openid:
     # Enable or disable OpenID Connect authentication
     enabled: false
diff --git a/docs/content/doc/setup/config.md b/docs/content/doc/setup/config.md
index c9e3db33..8ab8a954 100644
--- a/docs/content/doc/setup/config.md
+++ b/docs/content/doc/setup/config.md
@@ -615,10 +615,12 @@ Default: `<empty>`
 
 OpenID configuration will allow users to authenticate through a third-party OpenID Connect compatible provider.<br/>
 The provider needs to support the `openid`, `profile` and `email` scopes.<br/>
-**Note:** The frontend expects to be redirected after authentication by the third party
+**Note:** Some openid providers (like gitlab) only make the email of the user available through openid claims if they have set it to be publicly visible.
+If the email is not public in those cases, authenticating will fail.
+**Note 2:** The frontend expects to be redirected after authentication by the third party
 to <frontend-url>/auth/openid/<auth key>. Please make sure to configure the redirect url with your third party
 auth service accordingy if you're using the default vikunja frontend.
-Take a look at the [default config file](https://kolaente.dev/vikunja/api/src/branch/master/config.yml.sample) for more information about how to configure openid authentication.
+Take a look at the [default config file](https://kolaente.dev/vikunja/api/src/branch/main/config.yml.sample) for more information about how to configure openid authentication.
 
 Default: `<empty>`
 
diff --git a/pkg/modules/auth/openid/openid.go b/pkg/modules/auth/openid/openid.go
index baa3b42d..8cd169bd 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/auth/openid/openid.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/auth/openid/openid.go
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"time"
 
+	"code.vikunja.io/web/handler"
+
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/db"
 	"xorm.io/xorm"
 
@@ -86,7 +88,7 @@ func HandleCallback(c echo.Context) error {
 	provider, err := GetProvider(providerKey)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(err)
-		return err
+		return handler.HandleHTTPError(err, c)
 	}
 	if provider == nil {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, models.Message{Message: "Provider does not exist"})
@@ -100,7 +102,8 @@ func HandleCallback(c echo.Context) error {
 
 			details := make(map[string]interface{})
 			if err := json.Unmarshal(rerr.Body, &details); err != nil {
-				return err
+				log.Errorf("Error unmarshaling token for provider %s: %v", provider.Name, err)
+				return handler.HandleHTTPError(err, c)
 			}
 
 			return c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, map[string]interface{}{
@@ -109,7 +112,7 @@ func HandleCallback(c echo.Context) error {
 			})
 		}
 
-		return err
+		return handler.HandleHTTPError(err, c)
 	}
 
 	// Extract the ID Token from OAuth2 token.
@@ -123,14 +126,21 @@ func HandleCallback(c echo.Context) error {
 	// Parse and verify ID Token payload.
 	idToken, err := verifier.Verify(context.Background(), rawIDToken)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		log.Errorf("Error verifying token for provider %s: %v", provider.Name, err)
+		return handler.HandleHTTPError(err, c)
 	}
 
 	// Extract custom claims
 	cl := &claims{}
 	err = idToken.Claims(cl)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		log.Errorf("Error getting token claims for provider %s: %v", provider.Name, err)
+		return handler.HandleHTTPError(err, c)
+	}
+
+	if cl.Email == "" {
+		log.Errorf("Claim does not contain an email address for provider %s", provider.Name)
+		return handler.HandleHTTPError(&user.ErrNoOpenIDEmailProvided{}, c)
 	}
 
 	s := db.NewSession()
@@ -140,12 +150,13 @@ func HandleCallback(c echo.Context) error {
 	u, err := getOrCreateUser(s, cl, idToken.Issuer, idToken.Subject)
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = s.Rollback()
-		return err
+		log.Errorf("Error creating new user for provider %s: %v", provider.Name, err)
+		return handler.HandleHTTPError(err, c)
 	}
 
 	err = s.Commit()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return handler.HandleHTTPError(err, c)
 	}
 
 	// Create token
diff --git a/pkg/user/error.go b/pkg/user/error.go
index 0328cfb8..6480d5ff 100644
--- a/pkg/user/error.go
+++ b/pkg/user/error.go
@@ -399,3 +399,29 @@ func (err ErrInvalidAvatarProvider) HTTPError() web.HTTPError {
 		Message:  "Invalid avatar provider setting. See docs for valid types.",
 	}
 }
+
+// ErrNoOpenIDEmailProvided represents a "NoEmailProvided" kind of error.
+type ErrNoOpenIDEmailProvided struct {
+}
+
+// IsErrNoEmailProvided checks if an error is a ErrNoOpenIDEmailProvided.
+func IsErrNoEmailProvided(err error) bool {
+	_, ok := err.(*ErrNoOpenIDEmailProvided)
+	return ok
+}
+
+func (err *ErrNoOpenIDEmailProvided) Error() string {
+	return "No email provided"
+}
+
+// ErrCodeNoOpenIDEmailProvided holds the unique world-error code of this error
+const ErrCodeNoOpenIDEmailProvided = 1019
+
+// HTTPError holds the http error description
+func (err *ErrNoOpenIDEmailProvided) HTTPError() web.HTTPError {
+	return web.HTTPError{
+		HTTPCode: http.StatusPreconditionFailed,
+		Code:     ErrCodeNoOpenIDEmailProvided,
+		Message:  "No email address available. Please make sure the openid provider publicly provides an email address for your account.",
+	}
+}