diff --git a/training/api/api_v1/certificates.py b/training/api/api_v1/certificates.py
index 77bc923e..e1335a52 100644
--- a/training/api/api_v1/certificates.py
+++ b/training/api/api_v1/certificates.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from typing import List, Any
+from typing import List, Any, Dict
 from fastapi import APIRouter, status, HTTPException, Depends, Response
 from training.schemas import UserCertificate, CertificateType, CertificateListValue
 from training.repositories import CertificateRepository
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def get_certificate_by_type_and_id(
 ):
     pdf_bytes = None
     filename = ''
-    is_admin_user = is_admin(user["roles"])
+    is_admin_user = is_admin(user)
     user_id = user["id"]
 
     if (certType == CertificateType.QUIZ.value):
@@ -97,8 +97,10 @@ def verify_certificate_is_valid(cert: object, user_id: int, is_admin_user: bool)
         raise HTTPException(status_code=401, detail="Not Authorized")
 
 
-def is_admin(user_roles: List[str]):
-    if not user_roles:  # Handle None or empty list
+def is_admin(user: Dict[str, List[str]]) -> bool:
+    # Ensure that 'roles' is in the user dictionary and is a list
+    if 'roles' not in user or not isinstance(user['roles'], list):
         return False
 
-    return 'Admin' in user_roles
+    # Normalize roles to avoid case sensitivity issues
+    return 'Admin' in user['roles']
diff --git a/training/tests/test_api_certificates.py b/training/tests/test_api_certificates.py
index de7e9fcd..d102d3da 100644
--- a/training/tests/test_api_certificates.py
+++ b/training/tests/test_api_certificates.py
@@ -258,20 +258,25 @@ def test_verify_certificate_is_valid_admin_user(self):
 
     def test_is_admin_with_admin_role(self):
         """Test when 'Admin' is in the roles list."""
-        user_roles = ["User", "Admin", "Editor"]
-        assert is_admin(user_roles) is True
+        user = {"roles": ["User", "Admin", "Editor"]}
+        assert is_admin(user) is True
 
     def test_is_admin_without_admin_role(self):
         """Test when 'Admin' is not in the roles list."""
-        user_roles = ["User", "Editor"]
-        assert is_admin(user_roles) is False
+        user = {"roles": ["User", "Editor"]}
+        assert is_admin(user) is False
 
-    def test_is_admin_empty_list(self):
+    def test_is_admin_empty_roles(self):
         """Test when the roles list is empty."""
-        user_roles = []
-        assert is_admin(user_roles) is False
+        user = {"roles": []}
+        assert is_admin(user) is False
 
-    def test_is_admin_none(self):
+    def test_is_admin_roles_is_none(self):
         """Test when the roles list is None."""
-        user_roles = None
-        assert is_admin(user_roles) is False
+        user = {"roles": None}
+        assert is_admin(user) is False
+
+    def test_is_admin_roles_key_missing(self):
+        """Test when the roles key is missing from the dictionary."""
+        user = {}
+        assert is_admin(user) is False