diff --git a/cmd/booster-http/gateway_handler.go b/cmd/booster-http/gateway_handler.go
index e0a998d3f..18a2a8306 100644
--- a/cmd/booster-http/gateway_handler.go
+++ b/cmd/booster-http/gateway_handler.go
@@ -69,7 +69,13 @@ func (h *gatewayHandler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		// TODO: Allow this to be configurable
 		expectedPaymentAmount := big.NewInt(10)
 
-		if hasPaid := checkPaymentChannelBalance(h.nitroRpcClient, chId, expectedPaymentAmount); !hasPaid {
+		hasPaid, err := checkPaymentChannelBalance(h.nitroRpcClient, chId, expectedPaymentAmount)
+		if err != nil {
+			webError(w, err, http.StatusPaymentRequired)
+			return
+		}
+
+		if !hasPaid {
 			webError(w, fmt.Errorf("payment of %d required", expectedPaymentAmount.Uint64()), http.StatusPaymentRequired)
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/booster-http/server.go b/cmd/booster-http/server.go
index 207daaf4e..429af4448 100644
--- a/cmd/booster-http/server.go
+++ b/cmd/booster-http/server.go
@@ -203,8 +203,14 @@ func (s *HttpServer) handleByPieceCid(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		// TODO: Allow this to be configurable
 		expectedPaymentAmount := big.NewInt(10)
 
-		if hasPaid := checkPaymentChannelBalance(s.nitroRpcClient, chId, expectedPaymentAmount); !hasPaid {
-			writeError(w, r, http.StatusPaymentRequired, "payment required")
+		hasPaid, err := checkPaymentChannelBalance(s.nitroRpcClient, chId, expectedPaymentAmount)
+		if err != nil {
+			writeError(w, r, http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
+			return
+		}
+
+		if !hasPaid {
+			writeError(w, r, http.StatusPaymentRequired, fmt.Sprintf("payment of %d required", expectedPaymentAmount.Uint64()))
 			return
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/booster-http/util.go b/cmd/booster-http/util.go
index 4041530bd..7560a26d2 100644
--- a/cmd/booster-http/util.go
+++ b/cmd/booster-http/util.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"errors"
 	"math/big"
 	"net/http"
 
@@ -18,13 +19,12 @@ func addCommas(count uint64) string {
 }
 
 // checkPaymentChannelBalance checks a payment channel balance and returns true if the AmountPaid is greater than the expected amount
-func checkPaymentChannelBalance(rpcClient *rpc.RpcClient, paymentChannelId types.Destination, expectedAmount *big.Int) bool {
+func checkPaymentChannelBalance(rpcClient *rpc.RpcClient, paymentChannelId types.Destination, expectedAmount *big.Int) (bool, error) {
 	if rpcClient == nil {
-		panic("the rpcClient is nil")
+		return false, errors.New("the rpcClient is nil")
 	}
 	payCh := rpcClient.GetVirtualChannel(paymentChannelId)
-	return payCh.Balance.PaidSoFar.ToInt().Cmp(expectedAmount) > 0
-
+	return (payCh.Balance.PaidSoFar.ToInt().Cmp(expectedAmount) > 0), nil
 }
 
 type corsHandler struct {