diff --git a/src/authx/auth.py b/src/authx/auth.py
index 83ebd2e..bf64381 100644
--- a/src/authx/auth.py
+++ b/src/authx/auth.py
@@ -812,9 +812,10 @@ def approve_pending_user_in_opa(user_name):
         if status_code == 200:
             pending_users.pop(user_name)
             response3, status_code = set_service_store_secret("opa", key=f"pending_users", value=json.dumps(response))
+            return {"message": f"User {user_name} has been approved"}, status_code
+        return response2, status_code
     else:
         return {"error": f"no pending user with ID {user_name}"}, 404
-    return response, status_code
 
 
 def reject_pending_user_in_opa(user_name):