diff --git a/.github/dependabot.yml b/.github/dependabot.yml
index 8abca405..ca2833fe 100644
--- a/.github/dependabot.yml
+++ b/.github/dependabot.yml
@@ -7,5 +7,8 @@ version: 2
 updates:
   - package-ecosystem: "npm" # See documentation for possible values
     directory: "/" # Location of package manifests
+    target-branch: "dependencies"
+    commit-message:
+      prefix: "⬆️"
     schedule:
       interval: "daily"
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/__tests__/errors.test.ts b/packages/backend/src/__tests__/gcal.util.test.ts
similarity index 67%
rename from packages/backend/src/__tests__/errors.test.ts
rename to packages/backend/src/__tests__/gcal.util.test.ts
index 5a60c273..b09bd249 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/__tests__/errors.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/__tests__/gcal.util.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { invalidSyncTokenError } from "./__mocks__/error.invalidSyncToken";
 import { invalidValueError } from "./__mocks__/error.google.invalidValue";
 import { invalidGrant400Error } from "./__mocks__/error.google.invalidGrant";
 import {
+  getEmailFromUrl,
   isFullSyncRequired,
   isGoogleTokenExpired,
   isInvalidValue,
@@ -14,8 +15,15 @@ describe("Google Error Parsing", () => {
   it("recognizes invalid (sync)value error", () => {
     expect(isInvalidValue(invalidValueError)).toBe(true);
   });
-
   it("recognizes expired refresh token", () => {
     expect(isGoogleTokenExpired(invalidGrant400Error)).toBe(true);
   });
 });
+
+describe("Gaxios response parsing", () => {
+  it("returns email with @", () => {
+    const url =
+      "https://www.googleapis.com/calendar/v3/calendars/foo%40bar.com/events?syncToken=!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!jqgYQwNWZ_QyyHyycChpiZHJvaGl1aHyyyyyyymxvZmMwaXZodjN2ZxoMCO7Xj6sGEICGncADwD4B";
+    expect(getEmailFromUrl(url)).toBe("foo@bar.com");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/common/errors/handlers/error.express.handler.ts b/packages/backend/src/common/errors/handlers/error.express.handler.ts
index 7719e31d..5fc9df23 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/common/errors/handlers/error.express.handler.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/common/errors/handlers/error.express.handler.ts
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@ import {
   isFullSyncRequired,
   isGoogleError,
   isInvalidValue,
+  getEmailFromUrl,
 } from "@backend/common/services/gcal/gcal.utils";
+import compassAuthService from "@backend/auth/services/compass.auth.service";
 import { getSyncByToken } from "@backend/sync/util/sync.queries";
 import userService from "@backend/user/services/user.service";
-import compassAuthService from "@backend/auth/services/compass.auth.service";
+import { findCompassUserBy } from "@backend/user/queries/user.queries";
 
 import { errorHandler } from "./error.handler";
 
@@ -46,6 +48,16 @@ const parseUserId = async (res: SessionResponse, e: Error) => {
       if (sync) {
         return sync.user;
       }
+
+      if (e.config.url) {
+        const email = getEmailFromUrl(e.config.url);
+        if (email) {
+          const user = await findCompassUserBy("email", email);
+          if (user) {
+            return user._id.toString();
+          }
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -66,7 +78,7 @@ export const handleExpressError = async (
     const userId = await parseUserId(res, e);
     if (!userId) {
       logger.error(
-        "Express error occured, but couldnt handle due to missing userId"
+        "Express error occured, but couldn't handle due to missing userId"
       );
       res.status(Status.UNSURE).send(UserError.MissingUserIdField);
       return;
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/common/services/gcal/gcal.utils.ts b/packages/backend/src/common/services/gcal/gcal.utils.ts
index 8baf6ac9..6024289e 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/common/services/gcal/gcal.utils.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/common/services/gcal/gcal.utils.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ export const cancelledEventsIds = (events: gSchema$Event[]) => {
   return cancelledIds;
 };
 
+export const getEmailFromUrl = (url: string) => {
+  const emailMatch = url.match(/\/calendars\/([^/]+)\/events/);
+
+  if (emailMatch && emailMatch[1]) {
+    return emailMatch[1].replace("%40", "@");
+  }
+
+  return null;
+};
+
 export const getPrimaryGcalId = (calendarList: Schema_CalendarList) => {
   const primaryGCal = calendarList.google.items[0];
   const gCalendarId = primaryGCal!.id as string;