diff --git a/app/status/healthcheck.py b/app/status/healthcheck.py
index 35e304f00..012be880c 100644
--- a/app/status/healthcheck.py
+++ b/app/status/healthcheck.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from flask import Blueprint, current_app, jsonify, request
 from sqlalchemy import text
+from werkzeug.exceptions import ServiceUnavailable
 
 from app import db, version
 from app.dao.organization_dao import dao_count_organizations_with_live_services
@@ -28,7 +29,8 @@ def show_status():
         current_app.logger.error(
             f"Unexpected error in show_status: {str(e)}", exc_info=True
         )
-        raise Exception(status_code=503, detail="Service temporarily unavailable")
+        # raise Exception(status_code=503, detail="Service temporarily unavailable")
+        raise ServiceUnavailable("Service temporarily unavailable")
 
 
 @status.route("/_status/live-service-and-organization-counts")
@@ -46,7 +48,8 @@ def live_service_and_organization_counts():
             f"Unexpected error in live_service_and_organization_counts: {str(e)}",
             exc_info=True,
         )
-        raise Exception(status_code=503, detail="Service temporarily unavailable")
+        # raise Exception(status_code=503, detail="Service temporarily unavailable")
+        raise ServiceUnavailable("Service temporarily unavailable")
 
 
 def get_db_version():
diff --git a/tests/app/status/test_status.py b/tests/app/status/test_status.py
index 779e35498..a24c0702f 100644
--- a/tests/app/status/test_status.py
+++ b/tests/app/status/test_status.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
 import pytest
 from flask import json
 
@@ -64,3 +66,17 @@ def test_populated_live_service_and_organization_counts(admin_request):
         "organizations": 1,
         "services": 4,
     }
+
+
+def test_live_service_and_org_counts_exception(admin_request):
+    with patch("app.status.healthcheck.jsonify") as mock_jsonify:
+        mock_jsonify.side_effect = ValueError("JSON serialization failed")
+        admin_request.get(
+            "status.live_service_and_organization_counts", _expected_status=503
+        )
+
+
+def test_show_status_exception(admin_request):
+    with patch("app.status.healthcheck.jsonify") as mock_jsonify:
+        mock_jsonify.side_effect = ValueError("JSON serialization failed")
+        admin_request.get("status.show_status", _expected_status=503)