diff --git a/src/web/error.rs b/src/web/error.rs
index 2a29404ef..11cbab701 100644
--- a/src/web/error.rs
+++ b/src/web/error.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ pub enum Nope {
     ResourceNotFound,
     CrateNotFound,
     NoResults,
+    InternalServerError,
 }
 
 impl fmt::Display for Nope {
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for Nope {
             Nope::ResourceNotFound => "Requested resource not found",
             Nope::CrateNotFound => "Requested crate not found",
             Nope::NoResults => "Search yielded no results",
+            Nope::InternalServerError => "Internal server error",
         })
     }
 }
@@ -59,6 +61,13 @@ impl Handler for Nope {
                         .to_resp("releases")
                 }
             }
+            Nope::InternalServerError => {
+                // something went wrong, details should have been logged
+                Page::new("internal server error".to_owned())
+                    .set_status(status::InternalServerError)
+                    .title("Internal server error")
+                    .to_resp("error")
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/web/mod.rs b/src/web/mod.rs
index 930e93e51..32172068d 100644
--- a/src/web/mod.rs
+++ b/src/web/mod.rs
@@ -138,26 +138,42 @@ impl CratesfyiHandler {
 
 impl Handler for CratesfyiHandler {
     fn handle(&self, req: &mut Request) -> IronResult<Response> {
+        fn if_404(
+            e: IronError,
+            handle: impl FnOnce() -> IronResult<Response>,
+        ) -> IronResult<Response> {
+            if e.response.status == Some(status::NotFound) {
+                handle()
+            } else {
+                Err(e)
+            }
+        };
+
         // try serving shared rustdoc resources first, then router, then db/static file handler
         // return 404 if none of them return Ok
         self.shared_resource_handler
             .handle(req)
-            .or_else(|e| self.router_handler.handle(req).or(Err(e)))
-            .or_else(|e| {
-                // if router fails try to serve files from database first
-                self.database_file_handler.handle(req).or(Err(e))
-            })
-            .or_else(|e| {
-                // and then try static handler. if all of them fails, return 404
-                self.static_handler.handle(req).or(Err(e))
-            })
+            .or_else(|e| if_404(e, || self.router_handler.handle(req)))
+            .or_else(|e| if_404(e, || self.database_file_handler.handle(req)))
+            .or_else(|e| if_404(e, || self.static_handler.handle(req)))
             .or_else(|e| {
                 let err = if let Some(err) = e.error.downcast::<error::Nope>() {
                     *err
-                } else if e.error.downcast::<NoRoute>().is_some() {
+                } else if e.error.downcast::<NoRoute>().is_some()
+                    || e.response.status == Some(status::NotFound)
+                {
                     error::Nope::ResourceNotFound
+                } else if e.response.status == Some(status::InternalServerError) {
+                    log::error!("internal server error: {}", e.error);
+                    error::Nope::InternalServerError
                 } else {
-                    panic!("all cratesfyi errors should be of type Nope");
+                    log::error!(
+                        "No error page for status {:?}; {}",
+                        e.response.status,
+                        e.error
+                    );
+                    // TODO: add in support for other errors that are actually used
+                    error::Nope::InternalServerError
                 };
 
                 if let error::Nope::ResourceNotFound = err {
@@ -181,7 +197,7 @@ impl Handler for CratesfyiHandler {
                         }
                     }
 
-                    debug!("Path not found: {}", DebugPath(&req.url));
+                    debug!("Path not found: {}; {}", DebugPath(&req.url), e.error);
                 }
 
                 Self::chain(self.pool.clone(), err).handle(req)