diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/mwapi/ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApi.java b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/mwapi/ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApi.java
index 13eb77e83..b78ad88ae 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/mwapi/ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApi.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/mwapi/ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApi.java
@@ -615,6 +615,10 @@ public class ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApi implements MediaWikiApi {
         });
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Checks to see if a user is currently blocked
+     * @return whether or not the user is blocked
+     */
     @Override
     public boolean isUserBlocked() {
         boolean userBlocked = false;
@@ -626,6 +630,7 @@ public class ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApi implements MediaWikiApi {
                     .param("uiprop", "blockinfo")
                     .get();
             if(result != null) {
+                // the blockexpiry field will only be present if the user is currently blocked
                 userBlocked = !result.getString("/api/query/userinfo/@blockexpiry").isEmpty();
             }
         } catch (Exception e) {
diff --git a/app/src/test/kotlin/fr/free/nrw/commons/mwapi/ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApiTest.kt b/app/src/test/kotlin/fr/free/nrw/commons/mwapi/ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApiTest.kt
index 686a90ef2..6f630ce1a 100644
--- a/app/src/test/kotlin/fr/free/nrw/commons/mwapi/ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApiTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/kotlin/fr/free/nrw/commons/mwapi/ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApiTest.kt
@@ -223,6 +223,60 @@ class ApacheHttpClientMediaWikiApiTest {
         assertEquals(23, testObserver.values()[0])
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun isUserBlockedForInfinitelyBlockedUser() {
+        server.enqueue(MockResponse().setBody("<?xml version=\"1.0\"?><api><query><userinfo id=\"1000\" name=\"testusername\" blockid=\"3000\" blockedby=\"blockerusername\" blockedbyid=\"1001\" blockreason=\"testing\" blockedtimestamp=\"2018-05-24T15:32:09Z\" blockexpiry=\"infinite\"></userinfo></query></api>"))
+
+        val result = testObject.isUserBlocked();
+
+        assertBasicRequestParameters(server, "GET").let { userBlockedRequest ->
+            parseQueryParams(userBlockedRequest).let { body ->
+                assertEquals("xml", body["format"])
+                assertEquals("query", body["action"])
+                assertEquals("userinfo", body["meta"])
+                assertEquals("blockinfo", body["uiprop"])
+            }
+        }
+
+        assertTrue(result)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun isUserBlockedForTimeBlockedUser() {
+        server.enqueue(MockResponse().setBody("<?xml version=\"1.0\"?><api><query><userinfo id=\"1000\" name=\"testusername\" blockid=\"3000\" blockedby=\"blockerusername\" blockedbyid=\"1001\" blockreason=\"testing\" blockedtimestamp=\"2018-05-24T15:32:09Z\" blockexpiry=\"2014-09-18T12:34:56Z\"></userinfo></query></api>"))
+
+        val result = testObject.isUserBlocked();
+
+        assertBasicRequestParameters(server, "GET").let { userBlockedRequest ->
+            parseQueryParams(userBlockedRequest).let { body ->
+                assertEquals("xml", body["format"])
+                assertEquals("query", body["action"])
+                assertEquals("userinfo", body["meta"])
+                assertEquals("blockinfo", body["uiprop"])
+            }
+        }
+
+        assertTrue(result)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun isUserBlockedForNotBlockedUser() {
+        server.enqueue(MockResponse().setBody("<?xml version=\"1.0\"?><api><query><userinfo id=\"1000\" name=\"testusername\"></userinfo></query></api>"))
+
+        val result = testObject.isUserBlocked();
+
+        assertBasicRequestParameters(server, "GET").let { userBlockedRequest ->
+            parseQueryParams(userBlockedRequest).let { body ->
+                assertEquals("xml", body["format"])
+                assertEquals("query", body["action"])
+                assertEquals("userinfo", body["meta"])
+                assertEquals("blockinfo", body["uiprop"])
+            }
+        }
+
+        assertFalse(result)
+    }
+
     private fun assertBasicRequestParameters(server: MockWebServer, method: String): RecordedRequest = server.takeRequest().let {
         assertEquals("/", it.requestUrl.encodedPath())
         assertEquals(method, it.method)