diff --git a/Dockerfile.local b/Dockerfile.local
index a9e93e0..a1c00e6 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.local
+++ b/Dockerfile.local
@@ -1,14 +1,23 @@
 FROM python:3.9
 ENV PYTHONFAULTHANDLER=1
-
 ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
-
 ENV MODE="LOCAL"
+
 WORKDIR /app
 
+# Install Chrony (modern NTP implementation)
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y chrony
+
+# Configure Chrony NTP servers
+RUN echo "server time.nist.gov iburst" >> /etc/chrony/chrony.conf
+RUN echo "server pool.ntp.org iburst" >> /etc/chrony/chrony.conf
+
+# Copy and install Python dependencies
 COPY requirements.txt requirements.txt
 RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
 
+# Copy source code
 COPY . .
 
-CMD ["uvicorn", "app.main:app", "--host", "0.0.0.0", "--port", "8000"]
\ No newline at end of file
+# Start Chrony service and then run the application
+CMD chronyd -d && uvicorn app.main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8000
diff --git a/app/services/payment_service.py b/app/services/payment_service.py
index bc8072e..3fa44b0 100644
--- a/app/services/payment_service.py
+++ b/app/services/payment_service.py
@@ -135,7 +135,11 @@ def create_customer_profile(customer: schemas.Customer, card_info: schemas.CardC
     else:
         controller.execute()
     response = controller.getresponse()
- 
+
+    # Check if response is None (API call failed)
+    if response is None:
+        print("ERROR: Authorize.net API call returned None - likely a network/connectivity issue")
+        raise ValueError("Could not connect to the payment gateway. Please check network connectivity.")
 
     try:
         if response.messages.resultCode == "Ok":
@@ -389,6 +393,12 @@ def add_payment_profile_to_customer(customer_profile_id: str, customer: schemas.
             controller.execute()
 
         response = controller.getresponse()
+
+        # Check if response is None (API call failed)
+        if response is None:
+            print("ERROR: Authorize.net API call returned None - likely a network/connectivity issue")
+            raise ValueError("Could not connect to the payment gateway. Please check network connectivity.")
+
         if response.messages.resultCode == "Ok":
             # Fix: Proper payment profile ID extraction (same bug fix as above)
             if hasattr(response, 'customerPaymentProfileId') and response.customerPaymentProfileId:
@@ -440,6 +450,11 @@ def get_customer_payment_profiles(customer_profile_id: str):
 
         response = controller.getresponse()
 
+        # Check if response is None (API call failed)
+        if response is None:
+            print("ERROR: Authorize.net API call returned None - likely a network/connectivity issue")
+            raise ValueError("Could not connect to the payment gateway. Please check network connectivity.")
+
         if response.messages.resultCode == "Ok":
             payment_profile_ids = []
             if response.profile.paymentProfiles is not None: