diff --git a/src/api/views.py b/src/api/views.py
index 2cb23a9b2..8cc2eda0c 100644
--- a/src/api/views.py
+++ b/src/api/views.py
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ DOMAIN_API_MESSAGES = {
     " Contact us if you need help coming up with a domain.",
     "invalid": "Enter a domain using only letters, numbers, or hyphens (though we don't recommend using hyphens).",
     "success": "That domain is available!",
-    "error": "Error finding domain availability.",
+    "error": "Error finding domain availability. Please wait a few minutes and try again. If you continue \
+    to receive this error after a few tries, contact help@get.gov",
 }
 
 
@@ -64,8 +65,8 @@ def check_domain_available(domain):
         else:
             # domain search string doesn't end with .gov, add it on here
             return Domain.available(domain + ".gov")
-    except Exception:
-        return False
+    except Exception as err:
+        return err
 
 
 @require_http_methods(["GET"])