diff --git a/lib/wsapi/cert_key.js b/lib/wsapi/cert_key.js
index 69321169b74ff449e25c564cf32359fadbc224ce..e3212373720d514f2c3efcec6467f7a99753b7ff 100644
--- a/lib/wsapi/cert_key.js
+++ b/lib/wsapi/cert_key.js
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ exports.process = function(req, res) {
     forward(keysigner, req, res, function(err) {
       if (err) {
         logger.error("error forwarding request: " + err);
+        res.sendHeader(500);
+        res.json({ "error": "can't contact keysigner" });
+        return;
       }
     });
   });