diff --git a/src/main.py b/src/main.py
index 6082fda..001422a 100644
--- a/src/main.py
+++ b/src/main.py
@@ -124,3 +124,13 @@ async def event_stream():
                 )
             },
         )
+    except Exception:
+        return JSONResponse(
+            {"error": "Gitea event stream is temporarily unavailable"},
+            status_code=503,
+            headers={
+                "Retry-After": str(
+                    max(1, math.ceil(EVENT_STREAM_TIMEOUT_SECONDS))
+                )
+            },
+        )
diff --git a/tests/test_event_stream.py b/tests/test_event_stream.py
index a369485..d72f036 100644
--- a/tests/test_event_stream.py
+++ b/tests/test_event_stream.py
@@ -74,6 +74,22 @@ async def test_event_stream_returns_retryable_response_when_gitea_exceeds_deadli
     assert cancelled.is_set()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.anyio
+async def test_event_stream_returns_retryable_response_when_gitea_request_fails(monkeypatch):
+    async def failing_activity_events():
+        raise ConnectionError("connection refused")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(main, "activity_events", failing_activity_events)
+
+    response = await main.event_stream()
+
+    assert response.status_code == 503
+    assert response.headers["retry-after"] == "5"
+    assert json.loads(response.body) == {
+        "error": "Gitea event stream is temporarily unavailable"
+    }
+
+
 @pytest.mark.anyio
 async def test_activity_events_fetches_feed_for_authenticated_user(monkeypatch):
     paths = []