diff --git a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Controller/HouseholdMemberController.php b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Controller/HouseholdMemberController.php
index a595eb8c7..cacba0630 100644
--- a/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Controller/HouseholdMemberController.php
+++ b/src/Bundle/ChillPersonBundle/Controller/HouseholdMemberController.php
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ class HouseholdMemberController extends ApiController
             }
         }
 
-        if ($householdId = $request->query->get('household', false)) {
+        if ($request->query->has('household')) {
+            $householdId = $request->query->get('household', false);
             $household = $em->getRepository(Household::class)
                 ->find($householdId);
             $allowHouseholdCreate = false;
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ class HouseholdMemberController extends ApiController
                     ['groups' => ['read']]
                 );
         } catch (Exception\InvalidArgumentException|Exception\UnexpectedValueException $e) {
-            throw new BadRequestException("Deserialization error: {$e->getMessage()}", 45896, $e);
+            throw new BadRequestHttpException("Deserialization error: {$e->getMessage()}", 45896, $e);
         }
 
         // TODO ACL