diff --git a/src/posit/connect/_utils.py b/src/posit/connect/_utils.py
index c35dabd9..d9c1b083 100644
--- a/src/posit/connect/_utils.py
+++ b/src/posit/connect/_utils.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import os
+
 from typing_extensions import Any
 
 
@@ -28,3 +30,13 @@ def update_dict_values(obj: dict[str, Any], /, **kwargs: Any) -> None:
 
     # Use the `dict` class to explicity update the object in-place
     dict.update(obj, **kwargs)
+
+
+def is_local() -> bool:
+    """Returns true if called from a piece of content running on a Connect server.
+
+    The connect server will always set the environment variable `RSTUDIO_PRODUCT=CONNECT`.
+    We can use this environment variable to determine if the content is running locally
+    or on a Connect server.
+    """
+    return os.getenv("RSTUDIO_PRODUCT") != "CONNECT"
diff --git a/src/posit/connect/client.py b/src/posit/connect/client.py
index 5e02f52f..ce14525d 100644
--- a/src/posit/connect/client.py
+++ b/src/posit/connect/client.py
@@ -178,7 +178,9 @@ def with_user_session_token(self, token: str) -> Client:
         """Create a new Client scoped to the user specified in the user session token.
 
         Create a new Client instance from a user session token exchange for an api key scoped to the
-        user specified in the token.
+        user specified in the token (the user viewing your app). If running your application locally,
+        a user session token will not exist, which will cause this method to result in an error needing
+        to be handled in your application.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
@@ -195,14 +197,18 @@ def with_user_session_token(self, token: str) -> Client:
         >>> from posit.connect import Client
         >>> client = Client().with_user_session_token("my-user-session-token")
         """
-        viewer_credentials = self.oauth.get_credentials(
+        if token is None or token == "":
+            raise ValueError("token must be set to non-empty string.")
+
+        visitor_credentials = self.oauth.get_credentials(
             token, requested_token_type=API_KEY_TOKEN_TYPE
         )
-        viewer_api_key = viewer_credentials.get("access_token")
-        if viewer_api_key is None:
-            raise ValueError("Unable to retrieve viewer api key.")
 
-        return Client(url=self.cfg.url, api_key=viewer_api_key)
+        visitor_api_key = visitor_credentials.get("access_token", "")
+        if visitor_api_key == "":
+            raise ValueError("Unable to retrieve token.")
+
+        return Client(url=self.cfg.url, api_key=visitor_api_key)
 
     @property
     def content(self) -> Content:
diff --git a/src/posit/connect/external/databricks.py b/src/posit/connect/external/databricks.py
index 6578d659..1f3b0895 100644
--- a/src/posit/connect/external/databricks.py
+++ b/src/posit/connect/external/databricks.py
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 import requests
 from typing_extensions import Callable, Dict, Optional
 
+from .._utils import is_local
 from ..client import Client
 from ..oauth import Credentials
-from .external import is_local
 
 POSIT_OAUTH_INTEGRATION_AUTH_TYPE = "posit-oauth-integration"
 POSIT_LOCAL_CLIENT_CREDENTIALS_AUTH_TYPE = "posit-local-client-credentials"
diff --git a/src/posit/connect/external/external.py b/src/posit/connect/external/external.py
deleted file mode 100644
index b3492ce4..00000000
--- a/src/posit/connect/external/external.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-import os
-
-
-def is_local() -> bool:
-    """Returns true if called from a piece of content running on a Connect server.
-
-    The connect server will always set the environment variable `RSTUDIO_PRODUCT=CONNECT`.
-    We can use this environment variable to determine if the content is running locally
-    or on a Connect server.
-    """
-    return not os.getenv("RSTUDIO_PRODUCT") == "CONNECT"
diff --git a/src/posit/connect/external/snowflake.py b/src/posit/connect/external/snowflake.py
index 54789c9b..c40c188d 100644
--- a/src/posit/connect/external/snowflake.py
+++ b/src/posit/connect/external/snowflake.py
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 
 from typing_extensions import Optional
 
+from .._utils import is_local
 from ..client import Client
-from .external import is_local
 
 
 class PositAuthenticator:
diff --git a/tests/posit/connect/test_client.py b/tests/posit/connect/test_client.py
index c256de89..be6fe9f9 100644
--- a/tests/posit/connect/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/posit/connect/test_client.py
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ def test_init(
         MockSession.assert_called_once()
 
     @responses.activate
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"RSTUDIO_PRODUCT": "CONNECT"})
     def test_with_user_session_token(self):
         api_key = "12345"
         url = "https://connect.example.com"
@@ -110,13 +111,14 @@ def test_with_user_session_token(self):
             },
         )
 
-        viewer_client = client.with_user_session_token("cit")
+        visitor_client = client.with_user_session_token("cit")
 
-        assert viewer_client.cfg.url == "https://connect.example.com/__api__"
-        assert viewer_client.cfg.api_key == "api-key"
+        assert visitor_client.cfg.url == "https://connect.example.com/__api__"
+        assert visitor_client.cfg.api_key == "api-key"
 
     @responses.activate
-    def test_with_user_session_token_bad_exchange(self):
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"RSTUDIO_PRODUCT": "CONNECT"})
+    def test_with_user_session_token_bad_exchange_response_body(self):
         api_key = "12345"
         url = "https://connect.example.com"
         client = Client(api_key=api_key, url=url)
@@ -137,8 +139,34 @@ def test_with_user_session_token_bad_exchange(self):
             json={},
         )
 
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as err:
             client.with_user_session_token("cit")
+        assert str(err.value) == "Unable to retrieve token."
+
+    @patch.dict("os.environ", {"RSTUDIO_PRODUCT": "CONNECT"})
+    def test_with_user_session_token_bad_token_deployed(self):
+        api_key = "12345"
+        url = "https://connect.example.com"
+        client = Client(api_key=api_key, url=url)
+        client._ctx.version = None
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as err:
+            client.with_user_session_token("")
+        assert str(err.value) == "token must be set to non-empty string."
+
+    def test_with_user_session_token_bad_token_local(self):
+        api_key = "12345"
+        url = "https://connect.example.com"
+        client = Client(api_key=api_key, url=url)
+        client._ctx.version = None
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+            client.with_user_session_token("")
+        assert str(e.value) == "token must be set to non-empty string."
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+            client.with_user_session_token(None)  # type: ignore
+        assert str(e.value) == "token must be set to non-empty string."
 
     def test__del__(
         self,