diff --git a/benefits/secrets.py b/benefits/secrets.py
index 2c7b96c47..293b6d909 100644
--- a/benefits/secrets.py
+++ b/benefits/secrets.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 
+from azure.core.exceptions import ClientAuthenticationError
 from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential
 from azure.keyvault.secrets import SecretClient
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -34,8 +35,18 @@ def get_secret_by_name(secret_name, client=None):
         credential = DefaultAzureCredential()
         client = SecretClient(vault_url=vault_url, credential=credential)
 
-    secret = client.get_secret(secret_name)
-    return secret.value
+    secret_value = None
+
+    if client is not None:
+        try:
+            secret = client.get_secret(secret_name)
+            secret_value = secret.value
+        except ClientAuthenticationError:
+            logger.error("Could not authenticate to Azure KeyVault")
+    else:
+        logger.error("Azure KeyVault SecretClient was not configured")
+
+    return secret_value
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/tests/pytest/test_secrets.py b/tests/pytest/test_secrets.py
index 57fa9063b..1029538b0 100644
--- a/tests/pytest/test_secrets.py
+++ b/tests/pytest/test_secrets.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import pytest
+from azure.core.exceptions import ClientAuthenticationError
 
 from benefits.secrets import KEY_VAULT_URL, get_secret_by_name
 
@@ -11,14 +12,20 @@ def mock_DefaultAzureCredential(mocker):
     return credential_cls
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def secret_name():
+    return "the secret name"
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def secret_value():
+    return "the secret value"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("runtime_env", ["dev", "test", "prod"])
-def test_get_secret_by_name__with_client__returns_secret_value(mocker, runtime_env, settings):
+def test_get_secret_by_name__with_client__returns_secret_value(mocker, runtime_env, settings, secret_name, secret_value):
     settings.RUNTIME_ENVIRONMENT = lambda: runtime_env
 
-    # set up the mock client class and expected return values
-
-    secret_name = "the secret name"
-    secret_value = "the secret value"
     client = mocker.patch("benefits.secrets.SecretClient")
     client.get_secret.return_value = mocker.Mock(value=secret_value)
 
@@ -29,16 +36,13 @@ def test_get_secret_by_name__with_client__returns_secret_value(mocker, runtime_e
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("runtime_env", ["dev", "test", "prod"])
-def test_get_secret_by_name__None_client__returns_secret_value(mocker, runtime_env, settings, mock_DefaultAzureCredential):
+def test_get_secret_by_name__None_client__returns_secret_value(
+    mocker, runtime_env, settings, mock_DefaultAzureCredential, secret_name, secret_value
+):
     settings.RUNTIME_ENVIRONMENT = lambda: runtime_env
     expected_keyvault_url = KEY_VAULT_URL.format(env=runtime_env[0])
 
-    # set up the mock client class and expected return values
     # this test does not pass in a known client, instead checking that a client is constructed as expected
-
-    secret_name = "the secret name"
-    secret_value = "the secret value"
-
     mock_credential = mock_DefaultAzureCredential.return_value
     client_cls = mocker.patch("benefits.secrets.SecretClient")
     client = client_cls.return_value
@@ -51,11 +55,37 @@ def test_get_secret_by_name__None_client__returns_secret_value(mocker, runtime_e
     assert actual_value == secret_value
 
 
-def test_get_secret_by_name__local__returns_environment_variable(mocker, settings):
-    settings.RUNTIME_ENVIRONMENT = lambda: "local"
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("runtime_env", ["dev", "test", "prod"])
+def test_get_secret_by_name__None_client__returns_None(mocker, runtime_env, settings, secret_name):
+    settings.RUNTIME_ENVIRONMENT = lambda: runtime_env
+
+    # this test forces construction of a new client to None
+    client_cls = mocker.patch("benefits.secrets.SecretClient", return_value=None)
+
+    actual_value = get_secret_by_name(secret_name)
+
+    client_cls.assert_called_once()
+    assert actual_value is None
 
-    secret_name = "the secret name"
-    secret_value = "the secret value"
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("runtime_env", ["dev", "test", "prod"])
+def test_get_secret_by_name__unauthenticated_client__returns_None(mocker, runtime_env, settings, secret_name):
+    settings.RUNTIME_ENVIRONMENT = lambda: runtime_env
+
+    # this test forces client.get_secret to throw an exception
+    client_cls = mocker.patch("benefits.secrets.SecretClient")
+    client = client_cls.return_value
+    client.get_secret.side_effect = ClientAuthenticationError
+
+    actual_value = get_secret_by_name(secret_name)
+
+    client_cls.assert_called_once()
+    client.get_secret.assert_called_once_with(secret_name)
+    assert actual_value is None
+
+
+def test_get_secret_by_name__local__returns_environment_variable(mocker, settings, secret_name, secret_value):
+    settings.RUNTIME_ENVIRONMENT = lambda: "local"
 
     env_spy = mocker.patch("benefits.secrets.os.environ.get", return_value=secret_value)
     client_cls = mocker.patch("benefits.secrets.SecretClient")