diff --git a/src/c3nav/routing/api.py b/src/c3nav/routing/api.py
index 0f85a444..b8332ef5 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/routing/api.py
+++ b/src/c3nav/routing/api.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 from rest_framework.decorators import list_route
 from rest_framework.response import Response
 from rest_framework.viewsets import ViewSet
 
 from c3nav.mapdata.models.access import AccessPermission
 from c3nav.mapdata.utils.locations import visible_locations_for_request
+from c3nav.routing.exceptions import LocationUnreachable, NoRouteFound, NotYetRoutable
 from c3nav.routing.forms import RouteForm
 from c3nav.routing.router import Router
 
@@ -19,9 +21,22 @@ class RoutingViewSet(ViewSet):
                 'errors': form.errors,
             })
 
-        route = Router.load().get_route(origin=form.cleaned_data['origin'],
-                                        destination=form.cleaned_data['destination'],
-                                        permissions=AccessPermission.get_for_request(request))
+        try:
+            route = Router.load().get_route(origin=form.cleaned_data['origin'],
+                                            destination=form.cleaned_data['destination'],
+                                            permissions=AccessPermission.get_for_request(request))
+        except NotYetRoutable:
+            return Response({
+                'error': _('Not yet routable, try again shortly.'),
+            })
+        except LocationUnreachable:
+            return Response({
+                'error': _('Unreachable location.'),
+            })
+        except NoRouteFound:
+            return Response({
+                'error': _('No route found.'),
+            })
 
         return Response({
             'request': {
diff --git a/src/c3nav/site/static/site/js/c3nav.js b/src/c3nav/site/static/site/js/c3nav.js
index 4d8cd559..b51b9302 100644
--- a/src/c3nav/site/static/site/js/c3nav.js
+++ b/src/c3nav/site/static/site/js/c3nav.js
@@ -238,6 +238,11 @@ c3nav = {
     },
     _route_loaded: function(data, nofly) {
         var $route = $('#route-summary');
+        if (data.error && $route.is('.loading')) {
+            $route.find('span').text(data.error);
+            $route.removeClass('loading');
+            return;
+        }
         if ($route.attr('data-origin') !== String(data.request.origin) || $route.attr('data-destination') !== String(data.request.destination)) {
             // loaded too late, information no longer needed
             return;