diff --git a/c3l_membership/views.py b/c3l_membership/views.py
--- a/c3l_membership/views.py
+++ b/c3l_membership/views.py
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ def index():
             or form.student.data
             or form.membership.data == "supporting"
         ):
-
             price = current_app.config["SUPPORTING_FEE"]
         elif form.starving.data:
             price = 1
@@ -94,14 +93,13 @@ def index():
         xml_data["voting"] = 1 if form.membership.data == "regular" else 0
 
         if form.payment.data in current_app.config["CRYPTOCURRENCIES"]:
-
-            current_conversion_r = requests.get(
-                current_app.config["CONVERSION_URL"], timeout=30
-            )
             try:
+                current_conversion_r = requests.get(
+                    current_app.config["CONVERSION_URL"], timeout=30
+                )
                 current_conversion_r.raise_for_status()
             except:
-                return 500
+                return render_template("index.html", form=form, crypto_error=True), 503
             else:
                 current_conversion = current_conversion_r.json()
                 commodity = current_app.config["CRYPTOCURRENCIES"][form.payment.data][
@@ -120,4 +118,5 @@ def index():
             "member.html", form=form, price=price, year=year, xml=xml
         )
         return render_pdf(HTML(string=html))
-    return render_template("index.html", form=form)
+
+    return render_template("index.html", form=form, crypto_error=False)