diff --git a/capsulflask/__init__.py b/capsulflask/__init__.py
index 55643bb..c5de152 100644
--- a/capsulflask/__init__.py
+++ b/capsulflask/__init__.py
@@ -142,8 +142,12 @@ app.config['HTTP_CLIENT'] = MyHTTPClient(timeout_seconds=int(app.config['INTERNA
 app.config['BTCPAY_ENABLED'] = False
 if app.config['BTCPAY_URL'] != "":
   try:
-    app.config['BTCPAY_CLIENT'] = btcpay.Client(api_uri=app.config['BTCPAY_URL'], pem=app.config['BTCPAY_PRIVATE_KEY'])
-    app.config['BTCPAY_ENABLED'] = True
+    response = requests.get(app.config['BTCPAY_URL'])
+    if response.status_code == 200:
+      app.config['BTCPAY_CLIENT'] = btcpay.Client(api_uri=app.config['BTCPAY_URL'], pem=app.config['BTCPAY_PRIVATE_KEY'])
+      app.config['BTCPAY_ENABLED'] = True
+    else:
+      app.logger.warning(f"Can't reach BTCPAY_URL {app.config['BTCPAY_URL']}: Response status code: {response.status_code}. Capsul will work fine except cryptocurrency payments will not work.")
   except:
     app.logger.warning("unable to create btcpay client. Capsul will work fine except cryptocurrency payments will not work. The error was: " + my_exec_info_message(sys.exc_info()))
 
diff --git a/capsulflask/payment.py b/capsulflask/payment.py
index 3c41cd9..a2e104e 100644
--- a/capsulflask/payment.py
+++ b/capsulflask/payment.py
@@ -58,14 +58,19 @@ def btcpay_payment():
     dollars = result[1]
 
     if len(errors) == 0:
-      invoice = current_app.config['BTCPAY_CLIENT'].create_invoice(dict(
-        price=float(dollars), 
-        currency="USD",
-        itemDesc="Capsul Cloud Compute",
-        transactionSpeed="high",
-        redirectURL=f"{current_app.config['BASE_URL']}/console/account-balance",
-        notificationURL=f"{current_app.config['BASE_URL']}/payment/btcpay/webhook"
-      ))
+      try:
+        invoice = current_app.config['BTCPAY_CLIENT'].create_invoice(dict(
+          price=float(dollars), 
+          currency="USD",
+          itemDesc="Capsul Cloud Compute",
+          transactionSpeed="high",
+          redirectURL=f"{current_app.config['BASE_URL']}/console/account-balance",
+          notificationURL=f"{current_app.config['BASE_URL']}/payment/btcpay/webhook"
+        ))
+      except:
+        current_app.logger.error(f"An error occurred while attempting to reach BTCPay Server: {my_exec_info_message(sys.exc_info())}")
+        flash("An error occurred while attempting to reach BTCPay Server.")
+        return redirect(url_for("console.account_balance"))
 
       current_app.logger.info(f"created btcpay invoice: {invoice}")