diff --git a/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/saml.py b/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/saml.py
index 38fa157bb4..f31d48f004 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/saml.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/saml.py
@@ -90,15 +90,15 @@ class SAMLAuthBackend(SAMLAuth):  # pylint: disable=abstract-method
         """
         try:
             return super().get_user_id(details, response)
-        except KeyError as ex:
+        except (KeyError, IndexError) as ex:
             log.warning(
                 '[THIRD_PARTY_AUTH] Error in SAML authentication flow. '
                 'Provider: {idp_name}, Message: {message}'.format(
-                    message=ex.message,  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=no-member
+                    message=str(ex),
                     idp_name=response.get('idp_name')
                 )
             )
-            raise IncorrectConfigurationException(self)  # lint-amnesty, pylint: disable=raise-missing-from
+            raise IncorrectConfigurationException(self) from ex
 
     def generate_metadata_xml(self, idp_name=None):  # pylint: disable=arguments-differ
         """
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/tests/specs/test_testshib.py b/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/tests/specs/test_testshib.py
index 1c552d7fb0..76305871ed 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/tests/specs/test_testshib.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/third_party_auth/tests/specs/test_testshib.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from social_django.models import UserSocialAuth
 from testfixtures import LogCapture
 
 from common.djangoapps.third_party_auth import pipeline
+from common.djangoapps.third_party_auth.exceptions import IncorrectConfigurationException
 from common.djangoapps.third_party_auth.saml import SapSuccessFactorsIdentityProvider
 from common.djangoapps.third_party_auth.saml import log as saml_log
 from common.djangoapps.third_party_auth.tasks import fetch_saml_metadata
@@ -141,6 +142,82 @@ class SamlIntegrationTestUtilities:
         )
 
 
+@ddt.ddt
+@utils.skip_unless_thirdpartyauth()
+class TestIndexExceptionTest(SamlIntegrationTestUtilities, IntegrationTestMixin, testutil.SAMLTestCase):
+    """
+    To test SAML error handling when presented with an empty-list attribute value
+    """
+
+    TOKEN_RESPONSE_DATA = {
+        'access_token': 'access_token_value',
+        'expires_in': 'expires_in_value',
+    }
+    USER_RESPONSE_DATA = {
+        'lastName': 'lastName_value',
+        'id': 'id_value',
+        'firstName': 'firstName_value',
+        'idp_name': 'testshib',
+        'attributes': {'urn:oid:0.9.2342.19200300.100.1.1': [], 'name_id': '1'},
+        'session_index': '1',
+    }
+
+    def test_index_error_from_empty_list_saml_attribute(self):
+        """
+        The `urn:oid:0.9.2342.19200300.100.1.1` attribute is an empty list,
+        should throw a specific exception NOT an IndexException
+        """
+        self.provider = self._configure_testshib_provider()
+        request, strategy = self.get_request_and_strategy(
+            auth_entry=pipeline.AUTH_ENTRY_LOGIN, redirect_uri='social:complete')
+        with self.assertRaises(IncorrectConfigurationException):
+            request.backend.auth_complete = MagicMock(return_value=self.fake_auth_complete(strategy))
+
+    def get_response_data(self):
+        """Gets dict (string -> object) of merged data about the user."""
+        response_data = dict(self.TOKEN_RESPONSE_DATA)
+        response_data.update(self.USER_RESPONSE_DATA)
+        return response_data
+
+
+@ddt.ddt
+@utils.skip_unless_thirdpartyauth()
+class TestKeyExceptionTest(SamlIntegrationTestUtilities, IntegrationTestMixin, testutil.SAMLTestCase):
+    """
+    To test SAML error handling when presented with missing attributes
+    """
+
+    TOKEN_RESPONSE_DATA = {
+        'access_token': 'access_token_value',
+        'expires_in': 'expires_in_value',
+    }
+    USER_RESPONSE_DATA = {
+        'lastName': 'lastName_value',
+        'id': 'id_value',
+        'firstName': 'firstName_value',
+        'idp_name': 'testshib',
+        'attributes': {'name_id': '1'},
+        'session_index': '1',
+    }
+
+    def test_key_error_from_missing_saml_attributes(self):
+        """
+        The `urn:oid:0.9.2342.19200300.100.1.1` attribute is missing,
+        should throw a specific exception NOT a Key Error
+        """
+        self.provider = self._configure_testshib_provider()
+        request, strategy = self.get_request_and_strategy(
+            auth_entry=pipeline.AUTH_ENTRY_LOGIN, redirect_uri='social:complete')
+        with self.assertRaises(IncorrectConfigurationException):
+            request.backend.auth_complete = MagicMock(return_value=self.fake_auth_complete(strategy))
+
+    def get_response_data(self):
+        """Gets dict (string -> object) of merged data about the user."""
+        response_data = dict(self.TOKEN_RESPONSE_DATA)
+        response_data.update(self.USER_RESPONSE_DATA)
+        return response_data
+
+
 @ddt.ddt
 @utils.skip_unless_thirdpartyauth()
 class TestShibIntegrationTest(SamlIntegrationTestUtilities, IntegrationTestMixin, testutil.SAMLTestCase):