diff --git a/apps/cli/pisa_cli.py b/apps/cli/pisa_cli.py
index 440860d..56074de 100644
--- a/apps/cli/pisa_cli.py
+++ b/apps/cli/pisa_cli.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from apps.cli import (
 from common.logger import Logger
 from common.appointment import Appointment
 from common.cryptographer import Cryptographer
-from common.tools import check_sha256_hex_format, compute_locator
+from common.tools import check_sha256_hex_format, check_locator_format, compute_locator
 
 
 HTTP_OK = 200
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ def check_signature(signature, appointment):
 def get_appointment(args):
     if not args:
         logger.error("No arguments were given")
-        return False
+        return None
 
     arg_opt = args.pop(0)
 
@@ -264,27 +264,27 @@ def get_appointment(args):
         sys.exit(help_get_appointment())
     else:
         locator = arg_opt
-        valid_locator = check_sha256_hex_format(locator)
+        valid_locator = check_locator_format(locator)
 
     if not valid_locator:
         logger.error("The provided locator is not valid", locator=locator)
-        return False
+        return None
 
     get_appointment_endpoint = "http://{}:{}/get_appointment".format(pisa_api_server, pisa_api_port)
     parameters = "?locator={}".format(locator)
 
     try:
         r = requests.get(url=get_appointment_endpoint + parameters, timeout=5)
-        logger.info("Appointment response returned from server: " + str(r))
-        return True
+        logger.info("Appointment response returned from server: {}".format(r.json()))
+        return r.json()
 
     except ConnectTimeout:
         logger.error("Can't connect to pisa API. Connection timeout")
-        return False
+        return None
 
     except ConnectionError:
         logger.error("Can't connect to pisa API. Server cannot be reached")
-        return False
+        return None
 
 
 def get_appointment_signature(appointment):
diff --git a/common/tools.py b/common/tools.py
index 2ac6d1e..d208272 100644
--- a/common/tools.py
+++ b/common/tools.py
@@ -15,6 +15,19 @@ def check_sha256_hex_format(value):
     return isinstance(value, str) and re.match(r"^[0-9A-Fa-f]{64}$", value) is not None
 
 
+def check_locator_format(value):
+    """
+    Checks if a given value is a 16-byte hex encoded string.
+
+    Args:
+        value(:mod:`str`): the value to be checked.
+
+    Returns:
+        :mod:`bool`: Whether or not the value matches the format.
+    """
+    return isinstance(value, str) and re.match(r"^[0-9A-Fa-f]{32}$", value) is not None
+
+
 def compute_locator(tx_id):
     """
     Computes an appointment locator given a transaction id.
diff --git a/pisa/tools.py b/pisa/tools.py
index 534b535..540020c 100644
--- a/pisa/tools.py
+++ b/pisa/tools.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from http.client import HTTPException
+from socket import timeout
 
 import pisa.conf as conf
 from pisa.utils.auth_proxy import AuthServiceProxy, JSONRPCException
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ def can_connect_to_bitcoind():
 
     try:
         bitcoin_cli().help()
-    except (ConnectionRefusedError, JSONRPCException, HTTPException):
+    except (timeout, ConnectionRefusedError, JSONRPCException, HTTPException):
         can_connect = False
 
     return can_connect