diff --git a/tildes/tildes/resources/comment.py b/tildes/tildes/resources/comment.py
index 7650788..a89fccc 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/resources/comment.py
+++ b/tildes/tildes/resources/comment.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 """Root factories for comments."""
 
-from pyramid.httpexceptions import HTTPForbidden
+from pyramid.httpexceptions import HTTPForbidden, HTTPNotFound
 from pyramid.request import Request
 from webargs.pyramidparser import use_kwargs
 
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ def comment_by_id36(request: Request, comment_id36: str) -> Comment:
         .filter_by(comment_id=id36_to_id(comment_id36))
     )
 
-    return get_resource(request, query)
+    try:
+        return get_resource(request, query)
+    except HTTPNotFound:
+        raise HTTPNotFound("Comment not found (or it was deleted)")
 
 
 @use_kwargs(CommentSchema(only=("comment_id36",)), locations=("matchdict",))
diff --git a/tildes/tildes/resources/topic.py b/tildes/tildes/resources/topic.py
index 3819915..e53f5df 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/resources/topic.py
+++ b/tildes/tildes/resources/topic.py
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ def topic_by_id36(request: Request, topic_id36: str) -> Topic:
         .filter_by(topic_id=topic_id)
     )
 
-    topic = get_resource(request, query)
+    try:
+        topic = get_resource(request, query)
+    except HTTPNotFound:
+        raise HTTPNotFound("Topic not found (or it was deleted)")
 
     # if there's also a group specified in the route, check that it's the same group as
     # the topic was posted in, otherwise redirect to correct group
diff --git a/tildes/tildes/views/api/web/exceptions.py b/tildes/tildes/views/api/web/exceptions.py
index b6f85ef..ffa3f6b 100644
--- a/tildes/tildes/views/api/web/exceptions.py
+++ b/tildes/tildes/views/api/web/exceptions.py
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ from pyramid.httpexceptions import (
 from pyramid.request import Request
 from pyramid.response import Response
 
-from tildes.resources.comment import comment_by_id36
-from tildes.resources.topic import topic_by_id36
 from tildes.views.decorators import ic_view_config
 from tildes.views.exceptions import errors_from_validationerror
 
@@ -69,10 +67,8 @@ def error_to_text_response(request: Request) -> Response:
     response = request.exception
 
     if isinstance(request.exception, HTTPNotFound):
-        if request.matched_route.factory == comment_by_id36:
-            response.text = "Comment not found (or it was deleted)"
-        elif request.matched_route.factory == topic_by_id36:
-            response.text = "Topic not found (or it was deleted)"
+        if response.message:
+            response.text = response.message
         else:
             response.text = "Not found"
     elif isinstance(request.exception, HTTPForbidden):