diff --git a/app/main/views/sign_in.py b/app/main/views/sign_in.py
index 6bfe17b52..5ca935e56 100644
--- a/app/main/views/sign_in.py
+++ b/app/main/views/sign_in.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from flask_login import current_user
 from app import login_manager, user_api_client
 from app.main import main
 from app.main.forms import LoginForm
+from app.main.views.index import error
 from app.main.views.verify import activate_user
 from app.models.user import InvitedUser, User
 from app.utils import hide_from_search_engines
@@ -77,9 +78,7 @@ def _get_user_email_and_uuid(access_token):
     return user_email, user_uuid
 
 
-@main.route("/sign-in", methods=(["GET", "POST"]))
-@hide_from_search_engines
-def sign_in():
+def _do_login_dot_gov():
     # start login.gov
     code = request.args.get("code")
     state = request.args.get("state")
@@ -90,8 +89,13 @@ def sign_in():
         redirect_url = request.args.get("next")
 
         # activate the user
-        user = user_api_client.get_user_by_uuid_or_email(user_uuid, user_email)
-        activate_user(user["id"])
+        try:
+            user = user_api_client.get_user_by_uuid_or_email(user_uuid, user_email)
+            activate_user(user["id"])
+        except BaseException as be:  # noqa B036
+            current_app.logger.error(be)
+            error(401)
+
         return redirect(url_for("main.show_accounts_or_dashboard", next=redirect_url))
 
     elif login_gov_error:
@@ -99,6 +103,11 @@ def sign_in():
         raise Exception(f"Could not login with login.gov {login_gov_error}")
     # end login.gov
 
+
+@main.route("/sign-in", methods=(["GET", "POST"]))
+@hide_from_search_engines
+def sign_in():
+    _do_login_dot_gov()
     redirect_url = request.args.get("next")
 
     if os.getenv("NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_EMAIL"):
diff --git a/app/templates/error/401.html b/app/templates/error/401.html
index 068067e92..01cad95e3 100644
--- a/app/templates/error/401.html
+++ b/app/templates/error/401.html
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   <div class="grid-row">
     <div class="grid-col-8">
     <h1>You’re not authorized to see this page</h1>
-      <p class="usa-body"><a class="usa-link" href="{{ url_for('main.sign_in' )}}">Sign in</a> to Notify.gov and try again.</p>
+      <p class="usa-body">If you have been invited to join Notify.gov, <a class="usa-link" href="{{ url_for('main.sign_in' )}}">sign in</a> to Notify.gov using your Login.gov account and try again.</p>
   </div>
 {% endblock %}
+e