diff --git a/packages/backend/src/errors/not-authorized.js b/packages/backend/src/errors/not-authorized.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ff0621bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/backend/src/errors/not-authorized.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import BaseError from './base.js';
+
+export default class NotAuthorized extends BaseError {}
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/helpers/authorization.js b/packages/backend/src/helpers/authorization.js
index d6a0d3e7..2ad150f3 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/helpers/authorization.js
+++ b/packages/backend/src/helpers/authorization.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import NotAuthorizedError from '../errors/not-authorized.js';
+
 const authorizationList = {
   'GET /api/v1/users/:userId': {
     action: 'read',
@@ -86,12 +88,8 @@ export const authorizeUser = async (request, response, next) => {
     request.method + ' ' + request.baseUrl + request.route.path;
   const currentRouteRule = authorizationList[currentRoute];
 
-  try {
-    request.currentUser.can(currentRouteRule.action, currentRouteRule.subject);
-    next();
-  } catch (error) {
-    return response.status(403).end();
-  }
+  request.currentUser.can(currentRouteRule.action, currentRouteRule.subject);
+  next();
 };
 
 export const authorizeAdmin = async (request, response, next) => {
@@ -100,6 +98,6 @@ export const authorizeAdmin = async (request, response, next) => {
   if (role?.isAdmin) {
     next();
   } else {
-    return response.status(403).end();
+    throw new NotAuthorizedError();
   }
 };
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/helpers/error-handler.js b/packages/backend/src/helpers/error-handler.js
index f4880812..ecfa9c18 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/helpers/error-handler.js
+++ b/packages/backend/src/helpers/error-handler.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import objection from 'objection';
 import * as Sentry from './sentry.ee.js';
 const { NotFoundError, DataError, ValidationError, UniqueViolationError } =
   objection;
+import NotAuthorizedError from '../errors/not-authorized.js';
 import HttpError from '../errors/http.js';
 import {
   renderObjectionError,
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@ const errorHandler = (error, request, response, next) => {
     response.status(200).json(httpErrorPayload);
   }
 
+  if (error instanceof NotAuthorizedError) {
+    response.status(403).end();
+  }
+
   const statusCode = error.statusCode || 500;
 
   logger.error(request.method + ' ' + request.url + ' ' + statusCode);
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/models/user.js b/packages/backend/src/models/user.js
index bd610d72..483cf403 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/models/user.js
+++ b/packages/backend/src/models/user.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import Step from './step.js';
 import Subscription from './subscription.ee.js';
 import UsageData from './usage-data.ee.js';
 import Billing from '../helpers/billing/index.ee.js';
+import NotAuthorizedError from '../errors/not-authorized.js';
 
 import deleteUserQueue from '../queues/delete-user.ee.js';
 import emailQueue from '../queues/email.js';
@@ -533,7 +534,7 @@ class User extends Base {
   can(action, subject) {
     const can = this.ability.can(action, subject);
 
-    if (!can) throw new Error('Not authorized!');
+    if (!can) throw new NotAuthorizedError();
 
     const relevantRule = this.ability.relevantRuleFor(action, subject);
 
@@ -548,7 +549,7 @@ class User extends Base {
   cannot(action, subject) {
     const cannot = this.ability.cannot(action, subject);
 
-    if (cannot) throw new Error('Not authorized!');
+    if (cannot) throw new NotAuthorizedError();
 
     return cannot;
   }