diff --git a/app/main/views/notifications.py b/app/main/views/notifications.py
index 3e031c632..00765ebbb 100644
--- a/app/main/views/notifications.py
+++ b/app/main/views/notifications.py
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ def view_notification(service_id, notification_id):
 
     if notification['template']['is_precompiled_letter']:
         try:
-            file_contents = view_letter_notification_as_preview(service_id, notification_id, "pdf")
+            file_contents = view_letter_notification_as_preview(
+                service_id, notification_id, "pdf"
+            )
             page_count = pdf_page_count(io.BytesIO(file_contents))
         except PdfReadError:
             return render_template(
@@ -72,7 +74,6 @@ def view_notification(service_id, notification_id):
 
     if notification.get('postage'):
         notification['template']['postage'] = notification['postage']
-
     template = get_template(
         notification['template'],
         current_service,
@@ -173,14 +174,22 @@ def view_letter_notification_as_preview(service_id, notification_id, filetype):
 
     if filetype not in ('pdf', 'png'):
         abort(404)
-
+    notification = notification_api_client.get_notification(service_id, str(notification_id))
     try:
-        preview = notification_api_client.get_notification_letter_preview(
-            service_id,
-            notification_id,
-            filetype,
-            page=request.args.get('page')
-        )
+        if notification['status'] == "validation-failed":
+            preview = notification_api_client.get_notification_letter_preview_with_overlay(
+                service_id,
+                notification_id,
+                filetype,
+                page=request.args.get('page')
+            )
+        else:
+            preview = notification_api_client.get_notification_letter_preview(
+                service_id,
+                notification_id,
+                filetype,
+                page=request.args.get('page')
+            )
 
         display_file = base64.b64decode(preview['content'])
     except APIError:
diff --git a/app/notify_client/notification_api_client.py b/app/notify_client/notification_api_client.py
index 579c93860..50d483ee9 100644
--- a/app/notify_client/notification_api_client.py
+++ b/app/notify_client/notification_api_client.py
@@ -94,6 +94,17 @@ class NotificationApiClient(NotifyAdminAPIClient):
 
         return self.get(url=get_url)
 
+    def get_notification_letter_preview_with_overlay(self, service_id, notification_id, file_type, page=None):
+        get_url = '/service/{}/template/preview/{}/{}{}{}'.format(
+            service_id,
+            notification_id,
+            file_type,
+            '?overlay=1',
+            '&page={}'.format(page) if page else '',
+        )
+
+        return self.get(url=get_url)
+
     def update_notification_to_cancelled(self, service_id, notification_id):
         return self.post(
             url='/service/{}/notifications/{}/cancel'.format(service_id, notification_id),
diff --git a/tests/app/main/views/test_notifications.py b/tests/app/main/views/test_notifications.py
index c003623d0..2a99eb110 100644
--- a/tests/app/main/views/test_notifications.py
+++ b/tests/app/main/views/test_notifications.py
@@ -456,6 +456,32 @@ def test_should_show_image_of_letter_notification(
     assert response.get_data(as_text=True) == 'foo'
 
 
+def test_should_show_image_of_letter_notification_that_failed_validation(
+    logged_in_client,
+    fake_uuid,
+    mocker
+):
+
+    mock_get_notification(mocker, fake_uuid, template_type='letter', notification_status='validation-failed')
+
+    mocker.patch(
+        'app.main.views.notifications.notification_api_client.get_notification_letter_preview_with_overlay',
+        return_value={
+            'content': base64.b64encode(b'foo').decode('utf-8')
+        }
+    )
+
+    response = logged_in_client.get(url_for(
+        'main.view_letter_notification_as_preview',
+        service_id=SERVICE_ONE_ID,
+        notification_id=fake_uuid,
+        filetype='png'
+    ))
+
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    assert response.get_data(as_text=True) == 'foo'
+
+
 def test_should_show_preview_error_image_letter_notification_on_preview_error(
     logged_in_client,
     fake_uuid,