diff --git a/fedn/network/api/interface.py b/fedn/network/api/interface.py
index d81af66bf..3ffaadecf 100644
--- a/fedn/network/api/interface.py
+++ b/fedn/network/api/interface.py
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ def add_combiner(self, combiner_id, secure_grpc, address, remote_addr, fqdn, por
 
         return jsonify(payload)
 
-    def add_client(self, client_id, preferred_combiner, remote_addr, name, package="remote"):
+    def add_client(self, client_id, preferred_combiner, remote_addr, name, package):
         """Add a client to the network.
 
         :param client_id: The client id to add.
@@ -522,6 +522,10 @@ def add_client(self, client_id, preferred_combiner, remote_addr, name, package="
         :return: A json response with combiner assignment config.
         :rtype: :class:`flask.Response`
         """
+        local_package = FEDN_ALLOW_LOCAL_PACKAGE
+        if local_package:
+            local_package = True
+
         if package == "remote":
             package_object = self.statestore.get_compute_package()
             if package_object is None:
@@ -535,7 +539,9 @@ def add_client(self, client_id, preferred_combiner, remote_addr, name, package="
                     ),
                     203,
                 )
-        elif package == "local" and FEDN_ALLOW_LOCAL_PACKAGE is False:
+            helper_type = self.control.statestore.get_helper()
+        elif package == "local" and local_package is False:
+            print("Local package not allowed. Set FEDN_ALLOW_LOCAL_PACKAGE=True in controller config.")
             return (
                 jsonify(
                     {
@@ -545,8 +551,8 @@ def add_client(self, client_id, preferred_combiner, remote_addr, name, package="
                 ),
                 400,
             )
-        elif package == "local" and FEDN_ALLOW_LOCAL_PACKAGE:
-            pass
+        elif package == "local" and local_package is True:
+            helper_type = ""
 
         # Assign client to combiner
         if preferred_combiner:
@@ -587,7 +593,7 @@ def add_client(self, client_id, preferred_combiner, remote_addr, name, package="
             "package": package,
             "ip": combiner.ip,
             "port": combiner.port,
-            "helper_type": self.control.statestore.get_helper(),
+            "helper_type": helper_type,
         }
         return jsonify(payload)
 
diff --git a/fedn/network/api/server.py b/fedn/network/api/server.py
index d56c3ab0b..d2b3c82b8 100644
--- a/fedn/network/api/server.py
+++ b/fedn/network/api/server.py
@@ -591,9 +591,11 @@ def add_client():
     remote_addr = request.remote_addr
     try:
         response = api.add_client(**json_data, remote_addr=remote_addr)
-    except TypeError:
+    except TypeError as e:
+        print(e)
         return jsonify({"success": False, "message": "Invalid data provided"}), 400
-    except Exception:
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(e)
         return jsonify({"success": False, "message": "An unexpected error occurred"}), 500
     return response