diff --git a/geocode/wikidata.py b/geocode/wikidata.py
index e9d4828..6145050 100644
--- a/geocode/wikidata.py
+++ b/geocode/wikidata.py
@@ -110,13 +110,16 @@ Row = dict[str, dict[str, typing.Any]]
 Hit = dict[str, str | int | None]
 
 
-@backoff.on_exception(backoff.expo, QueryError, max_tries=5)
+@backoff.on_exception(backoff.expo, (QueryError, RequestException), max_tries=5)
 def wdqs(query: str) -> list[Row]:
     """Pass query to the Wikidata Query Service."""
     r = requests.post(
         wikidata_query_api_url, data={"query": query, "format": "json"}, headers=headers
     )
 
+    if not r.ok:
+        raise QueryError(query, r)
+
     try:
         return typing.cast(list[Row], r.json()["results"]["bindings"])
     except requests.exceptions.JSONDecodeError:
diff --git a/lookup.py b/lookup.py
index 0759406..bebe7a3 100755
--- a/lookup.py
+++ b/lookup.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import traceback
 import typing
 from time import time
 
+import requests.exceptions
 import sqlalchemy.exc
 import werkzeug.debug.tbtools
 from flask import Flask, jsonify, redirect, render_template, request, url_for
@@ -375,7 +376,16 @@ def index() -> str | Response:
         return jsonify(coords={"lat": lat, "lon": lon}, error=error_msg)
 
     needs_commons = request.args.get("needs_commons", "true").lower() != "false"
-    result = lat_lon_to_wikidata(lat, lon, needs_commons=needs_commons)["result"]
+    try:
+        result = lat_lon_to_wikidata(lat, lon, needs_commons=needs_commons)["result"]
+    except (wikidata.QueryError, wikidata.APIResponseError) as e:
+        r = e.r if isinstance(e, wikidata.QueryError) else e.response
+        if r.status_code == 429:
+            extra = {"Retry-After": r.headers["Retry-After"]} if "Retry-After" in r.headers else {}
+            return jsonify(error="Rate limited by Wikidata, please try again later"), 429, extra
+        return jsonify(error=f"Wikidata query failed (HTTP {r.status_code}), please try again later"), 503
+    except requests.exceptions.RequestException:
+        return jsonify(error="Could not connect to Wikidata, please try again later"), 503
     result.pop("element", None)
     result.pop("geojson", None)
     if logging_enabled: