diff --git a/endpoints/api/billing.py b/endpoints/api/billing.py
index 3e13df6b6..c41bcec77 100644
--- a/endpoints/api/billing.py
+++ b/endpoints/api/billing.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from flask import request
 from app import billing
 from endpoints.api import (resource, nickname, ApiResource, validate_json_request, log_action,
                            related_user_resource, internal_only, Unauthorized, NotFound,
-                           require_user_admin, show_if, hide_if)
+                           require_user_admin, show_if, hide_if, abort)
 from endpoints.api.subscribe import subscribe, subscription_view
 from auth.permissions import AdministerOrganizationPermission
 from auth.auth_context import get_authenticated_user
@@ -23,7 +23,11 @@ def get_card(user):
   }
 
   if user.stripe_id:
-    cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(user.stripe_id)
+    try:
+      cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(user.stripe_id)
+    except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+      abort(503, message='Cannot contact Stripe')
+
     if cus and cus.default_card:
       # Find the default card.
       default_card = None
@@ -46,7 +50,11 @@ def get_card(user):
 
 def set_card(user, token):
   if user.stripe_id:
-    cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(user.stripe_id)
+    try:
+      cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(user.stripe_id)
+    except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+      abort(503, message='Cannot contact Stripe')
+
     if cus:
       try:
         cus.card = token
@@ -55,6 +63,8 @@ def set_card(user, token):
         return carderror_response(exc)
       except stripe.InvalidRequestError as exc:
         return carderror_response(exc)
+      except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+        return carderror_response(e)
 
   return get_card(user)
 
@@ -75,7 +85,11 @@ def get_invoices(customer_id):
       'plan': i.lines.data[0].plan.id if i.lines.data[0].plan else None
     }
     
-  invoices = billing.Invoice.all(customer=customer_id, count=12)
+  try:
+    invoices = billing.Invoice.all(customer=customer_id, count=12)
+  except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+    abort(503, message='Cannot contact Stripe')
+
   return {
     'invoices': [invoice_view(i) for i in invoices.data]
   }
@@ -228,7 +242,10 @@ class UserPlan(ApiResource):
     private_repos = model.get_private_repo_count(user.username)
 
     if user.stripe_id:
-      cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(user.stripe_id)
+      try:
+        cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(user.stripe_id)
+      except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+        abort(503, message='Cannot contact Stripe')
 
       if cus.subscription:                                
         return subscription_view(cus.subscription, private_repos)
@@ -291,7 +308,10 @@ class OrganizationPlan(ApiResource):
       private_repos = model.get_private_repo_count(orgname)
       organization = model.get_organization(orgname)
       if organization.stripe_id:
-        cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(organization.stripe_id)
+        try:
+          cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(organization.stripe_id)
+        except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+          abort(503, message='Cannot contact Stripe')
 
         if cus.subscription:                                
           return subscription_view(cus.subscription, private_repos)
diff --git a/endpoints/api/subscribe.py b/endpoints/api/subscribe.py
index dd6de9678..2c3fba359 100644
--- a/endpoints/api/subscribe.py
+++ b/endpoints/api/subscribe.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 def carderror_response(exc):
   return {'carderror': exc.message}, 402
 
+def connection_response(exc):
+  return {'message': 'Could not contact Stripe. Please try again.'}, 503
+
 
 def subscription_view(stripe_subscription, used_repos):
   view = {
@@ -74,19 +77,29 @@ def subscribe(user, plan, token, require_business_plan):
         log_action('account_change_plan', user.username, {'plan': plan})
       except stripe.CardError as e:
         return carderror_response(e)
+      except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+        return connection_response(e)
 
       response_json = subscription_view(cus.subscription, private_repos)
       status_code = 201
 
   else:
     # Change the plan
-    cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(user.stripe_id)
+    try:
+      cus = billing.Customer.retrieve(user.stripe_id)
+    except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+      return connection_response(e)
 
     if plan_found['price'] == 0:
       if cus.subscription is not None:
         # We only have to cancel the subscription if they actually have one
-        cus.cancel_subscription()
-        cus.save()
+        try:
+          cus.cancel_subscription()
+          cus.save()
+        except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+          return connection_response(e)
+
+
         check_repository_usage(user, plan_found)
         log_action('account_change_plan', user.username, {'plan': plan})
 
@@ -101,6 +114,8 @@ def subscribe(user, plan, token, require_business_plan):
         cus.save()
       except stripe.CardError as e:
         return carderror_response(e)
+      except stripe.APIConnectionError as e:
+        return connection_response(e)
           
       response_json = subscription_view(cus.subscription, private_repos)
       check_repository_usage(user, plan_found)
diff --git a/static/js/app.js b/static/js/app.js
index aa9d8bcba..c718375fe 100644
--- a/static/js/app.js
+++ b/static/js/app.js
@@ -5570,8 +5570,8 @@ quayApp.run(['$location', '$rootScope', 'Restangular', 'UserService', 'PlanServi
       }
     }
 
-    if (!Features.BILLING && response.status == 402) {
-      $('#overlicenseModal').modal({});
+    if (response.status == 503) {
+      $('#cannotContactService').modal({});
       return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/templates/index.html b/templates/index.html
index f69251514..51d687770 100644
--- a/templates/index.html
+++ b/templates/index.html
@@ -35,23 +35,18 @@
     </div><!-- /.modal-dialog -->
   </div><!-- /.modal -->
 
-{% if not has_billing %}
   <!-- Modal message dialog -->
-  <div class="modal fade" id="overlicenseModal" data-backdrop="static">
+  <div class="modal fade" id="cannotContactService" data-backdrop="static">
     <div class="modal-dialog">
       <div class="modal-content">
         <div class="modal-header">
-          <h4 class="modal-title">Cannot create user</h4>
+          <h4 class="modal-title">Cannot Contact External Service</h4>
         </div>
         <div class="modal-body">
-          A new user cannot be created as this organization has reached its licensed seat count. Please contact your administrator.
-        </div>
-        <div class="modal-footer">
-          <a href="javascript:void(0)" class="btn btn-primary" data-dismiss="modal" onclick="location = '/signin'">Sign In</a>
+          A connection to an external service has failed. Please reload the page to try again.
         </div>
       </div><!-- /.modal-content -->
     </div><!-- /.modal-dialog -->
   </div><!-- /.modal -->
-{% endif %}
 
 {% endblock %}
diff --git a/util/analytics.py b/util/analytics.py
index 6dfdf923c..a7608aed8 100644
--- a/util/analytics.py
+++ b/util/analytics.py
@@ -30,7 +30,11 @@ class SendToMixpanel(Process):
     while True:
       mp_request = self._mp_queue.get()
       logger.debug('Got queued mixpanel reqeust.')
-      self._consumer.send(*json.loads(mp_request))
+      try:
+        self._consumer.send(*json.loads(mp_request))
+      except:
+        # Make sure we don't crash if Mixpanel request fails.
+        pass
 
 
 class FakeMixpanel(object):