diff --git a/internal/http/auth.go b/internal/http/auth.go
index 70bd3b7..07e508c 100644
--- a/internal/http/auth.go
+++ b/internal/http/auth.go
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@ func (h authHandler) onboard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 func (h authHandler) canOnboard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if status, err := h.onboardEligible(r.Context()); err != nil {
+		if status == http.StatusServiceUnavailable {
+			h.encoder.StatusWarning(w, status, err.Error())
+			return
+		}
 		h.encoder.StatusError(w, status, err)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/internal/http/encoder.go b/internal/http/encoder.go
index 2fdb5b3..08ff0d8 100644
--- a/internal/http/encoder.go
+++ b/internal/http/encoder.go
@@ -130,3 +130,16 @@ func (e encoder) StatusError(w http.ResponseWriter, status int, err error) {
 		return
 	}
 }
+
+func (e encoder) StatusWarning(w http.ResponseWriter, status int, message string) {
+	resp := errorResponse{
+		Status:  status,
+		Message: message,
+	}
+
+	e.log.Warn().Str("warning", message).Int("status", status).Msg("server warning")
+
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
+	w.WriteHeader(status)
+	json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(resp)
+}