diff --git a/packages/api/src/error-handler.js b/packages/api/src/error-handler.js
index d7ee45302f..40e01722ba 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/error-handler.js
+++ b/packages/api/src/error-handler.js
@@ -28,15 +28,15 @@ export function errorHandler (err, { log }, request) {
     return new JSONResponse(error, { status })
   }
 
+  if (err instanceof HTTPError) {
+    return new JSONResponse(err, { status })
+  }
+
   let error = {
     code: err.code,
     message: err.message
   }
 
-  if (err instanceof HTTPError) {
-    return new JSONResponse(error, { status })
-  }
-
   switch (err.code) {
     // Magic SDK errors
     case MagicErrors.TokenExpired:
diff --git a/packages/api/src/errors.js b/packages/api/src/errors.js
index 92308da69f..234418d88a 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/errors.js
+++ b/packages/api/src/errors.js
@@ -117,6 +117,30 @@ export class MagicTokenRequiredError extends HTTPError {
 }
 MagicTokenRequiredError.CODE = 'ERROR_MAGIC_TOKEN_REQUIRED'
 
+/**
+ * Error indicating a new user signup was denied and probably will be indefinitely,
+ * and the user should try a new product instead.
+ */
+export class NewUserDeniedTryOtherProductError extends HTTPError {
+  /**
+   * @param {string} message
+   * @param {URL} otherProduct
+   */
+  constructor (message, otherProduct) {
+    super(message, 403)
+    this.code = 'NEW_USER_DENIED_TRY_OTHER_PRODUCT'
+    this.otherProduct = otherProduct
+  }
+
+  toJSON () {
+    return {
+      message: this.message,
+      code: this.code,
+      otherProduct: this.otherProduct.toString()
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 export class AgreementsRequiredError extends HTTPError {
   /**
    * @param {import("./utils/billing-types").Agreement[]} agreements
diff --git a/packages/api/src/user.js b/packages/api/src/user.js
index 0fac1e56c4..178d8478fc 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/user.js
+++ b/packages/api/src/user.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as JWT from './utils/jwt.js'
 import { JSONResponse, notFound } from './utils/json-response.js'
 import { JWT_ISSUER } from './constants.js'
-import { HTTPError, PSAErrorInvalidData, PSAErrorRequiredData, PSAErrorResourceNotFound, RangeNotSatisfiableError } from './errors.js'
+import { HTTPError, PSAErrorInvalidData, PSAErrorRequiredData, PSAErrorResourceNotFound, RangeNotSatisfiableError, NewUserDeniedTryOtherProductError } from './errors.js'
 import { getTagValue, hasPendingTagProposal, hasTag } from './utils/tags.js'
 import {
   NO_READ_OR_WRITE,
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ async function loginOrRegister (request, env) {
   if (newUserRegistrationIsClosed) {
     const user = await env.db.getUser(parsed.issuer, {})
     if (!user) {
-      throw new HTTPError('new user registration is closed. Try creating an account at https://console.web3.storage', 403)
+      const otherProduct = new URL('https://console.web3.storage/')
+      throw new NewUserDeniedTryOtherProductError(`new user registration is closed. Try creating an account at ${otherProduct.toString()}`, otherProduct)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/api/test/user.spec.js b/packages/api/test/user.spec.js
index 5596d32c29..c4c4302d16 100644
--- a/packages/api/test/user.spec.js
+++ b/packages/api/test/user.spec.js
@@ -587,6 +587,7 @@ describe('userLoginPost', function () {
       const authToken = createMagicTestModeToken(user.publicAddress, user.claims)
       const userPostLoginResponse = await fetch(loginEndpoint, {
         headers: {
+          accept: 'application/json',
           authorization: `Bearer ${authToken}`,
           contentType: 'application/json'
         },
@@ -599,6 +600,12 @@ describe('userLoginPost', function () {
       const responseText = await userPostLoginResponse.text()
       assert.equal(userPostLoginResponse.status, 403, 'response status code is 403 forbidden because new user registration is forbidden')
       assert.ok(responseText.includes('new user registration is closed'), 'response body indicates new user registration is closed')
+
+      const responseJson = JSON.parse(responseText)
+      assert.equal(typeof responseJson, 'object', 'response can be parsed as json')
+      assert.ok(responseJson.message.includes('new user registration is closed'), 'response object message indicates new user registration is closed')
+      assert.equal(responseJson.code, 'NEW_USER_DENIED_TRY_OTHER_PRODUCT')
+      assert.equal(responseJson.otherProduct, 'https://console.web3.storage/')
     })
   })
 })