diff --git a/codex/sales/statemachine.nim b/codex/sales/statemachine.nim
index ec770ece0..d17325491 100644
--- a/codex/sales/statemachine.nim
+++ b/codex/sales/statemachine.nim
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export asyncstatemachine
 
 type
   SaleState* = ref object of State
-  SaleError* = ref object of CodexError
+  SaleError* = object of CodexError
 
 method onCancelled*(
     state: SaleState, request: StorageRequest
diff --git a/codex/sales/states/preparing.nim b/codex/sales/states/preparing.nim
index 807bb196c..dba249de5 100644
--- a/codex/sales/states/preparing.nim
+++ b/codex/sales/states/preparing.nim
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ method run*(
     await agent.subscribe()
 
     without request =? data.request:
-      raiseAssert "no sale request"
+      error "request could not be retrieved", id = data.requestId
+      let error = newException(SaleError, "request could not be retrieved")
+      return some State(SaleErrored(error: error))
 
     let slotId = slotId(data.requestId, data.slotIndex)
     let state = await market.slotState(slotId)
diff --git a/codex/sales/states/unknown.nim b/codex/sales/states/unknown.nim
index d182d7442..b714a4b98 100644
--- a/codex/sales/states/unknown.nim
+++ b/codex/sales/states/unknown.nim
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ method run*(
     await agent.retrieveRequest()
     await agent.subscribe()
 
+    without request =? data.request:
+      error "request could not be retrieved", id = data.requestId
+      let error = newException(SaleError, "request could not be retrieved")
+      return some State(SaleErrored(error: error))
+
     let slotId = slotId(data.requestId, data.slotIndex)
     let slotState = await market.slotState(slotId)
 
diff --git a/tests/codex/sales/states/testpreparing.nim b/tests/codex/sales/states/testpreparing.nim
index 802489a13..747544117 100644
--- a/tests/codex/sales/states/testpreparing.nim
+++ b/tests/codex/sales/states/testpreparing.nim
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ asyncchecksuite "sales state 'preparing'":
     let next = state.onSlotFilled(request.id, slotIndex)
     check !next of SaleFilled
 
+  test "run switches to errored when the request cannot be retrieved":
+    agent = newSalesAgent(context, request.id, slotIndex, StorageRequest.none)
+    let next = !(await state.run(agent))
+    check next of SaleErrored
+    check SaleErrored(next).error.msg == "request could not be retrieved"
+
   proc createAvailability(enabled = true) {.async.} =
     let a = await reservations.createAvailability(
       availability.totalSize,
diff --git a/tests/codex/sales/states/testunknown.nim b/tests/codex/sales/states/testunknown.nim
index 98b23224a..4806122f7 100644
--- a/tests/codex/sales/states/testunknown.nim
+++ b/tests/codex/sales/states/testunknown.nim
@@ -20,15 +20,22 @@ suite "sales state 'unknown'":
   let slotId = slotId(request.id, slotIndex)
 
   var market: MockMarket
+  var context: SalesContext
   var agent: SalesAgent
   var state: SaleUnknown
 
   setup:
     market = MockMarket.new()
-    let context = SalesContext(market: market)
-    agent = newSalesAgent(context, request.id, slotIndex, StorageRequest.none)
+    context = SalesContext(market: market)
+    agent = newSalesAgent(context, request.id, slotIndex, request.some)
     state = SaleUnknown.new()
 
+  test "switches to error state when the request cannot be retrieved":
+    agent = newSalesAgent(context, request.id, slotIndex, StorageRequest.none)
+    let next = await state.run(agent)
+    check !next of SaleErrored
+    check SaleErrored(!next).error.msg == "request could not be retrieved"
+
   test "switches to error state when on chain state cannot be fetched":
     let next = await state.run(agent)
     check !next of SaleErrored
@@ -37,6 +44,7 @@ suite "sales state 'unknown'":
     market.slotState[slotId] = SlotState.Free
     let next = await state.run(agent)
     check !next of SaleErrored
+    check SaleErrored(!next).error.msg == "Slot state on chain should not be 'free'"
 
   test "switches to filled state when on chain state is 'filled'":
     market.slotState[slotId] = SlotState.Filled