diff --git a/packages/auth/lib/src/strategies/local.dart b/packages/auth/lib/src/strategies/local.dart
index 99cbf7da..f8514a30 100644
--- a/packages/auth/lib/src/strategies/local.dart
+++ b/packages/auth/lib/src/strategies/local.dart
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ bool _validateString(String? str) => str != null && str.isNotEmpty;
 
 /// Determines the validity of an incoming username and password.
 // typedef FutureOr<User> LocalAuthVerifier<User>(String? username, String? password);
-typedef LocalAuthVerifier<User> = FutureOr<User> Function(
+typedef LocalAuthVerifier<User> = FutureOr<User?> Function(
     String? username, String? password);
 
 class LocalAuthStrategy<User> extends AuthStrategy<User> {
diff --git a/packages/auth/test/local_test.dart b/packages/auth/test/local_test.dart
index ff63a59c..ae583701 100644
--- a/packages/auth/test/local_test.dart
+++ b/packages/auth/test/local_test.dart
@@ -13,11 +13,12 @@ var localOpts = AngelAuthOptions<Map<String, String>>(
     failureRedirect: '/failure', successRedirect: '/success');
 Map<String, String> sampleUser = {'hello': 'world'};
 
-Future<Map<String, String>> verifier(String? username, String? password) async {
+Future<Map<String, String>?> verifier(
+    String? username, String? password) async {
   if (username == 'username' && password == 'password') {
     return sampleUser;
   } else {
-    throw ArgumentError('Unexpected type for data');
+    return null;
   }
 }