diff --git a/constellation/src/server/mod.rs b/constellation/src/server/mod.rs
index 9390056..5d37f07 100644
--- a/constellation/src/server/mod.rs
+++ b/constellation/src/server/mod.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use serde_with::serde_as;
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::time::{Duration, UNIX_EPOCH};
 use tokio::net::{TcpListener, ToSocketAddrs};
-use tokio::task::block_in_place;
+use tokio::task::spawn_blocking;
 use tokio_util::sync::CancellationToken;
 
 use crate::storage::{LinkReader, StorageStats};
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ fn get_default_cursor_limit() -> u64 {
 
 const INDEX_BEGAN_AT_TS: u64 = 1738083600; // TODO: not this
 
+fn to500(e: tokio::task::JoinError) -> http::StatusCode {
+    eprintln!("handler join error: {e}");
+    http::StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR
+}
+
 pub async fn serve<S, A>(store: S, addr: A, stay_alive: CancellationToken) -> anyhow::Result<()>
 where
     S: LinkReader,
@@ -45,14 +50,22 @@ where
             "/",
             get({
                 let store = store.clone();
-                move |accept| async { block_in_place(|| hello(accept, store)) }
+                move |accept| async {
+                    spawn_blocking(|| hello(accept, store))
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(to500)?
+                }
             }),
         )
         .route(
             "/links/count",
             get({
                 let store = store.clone();
-                move |accept, query| async { block_in_place(|| count_links(accept, query, store)) }
+                move |accept, query| async {
+                    spawn_blocking(|| count_links(accept, query, store))
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(to500)?
+                }
             }),
         )
         .route(
@@ -60,7 +73,9 @@ where
             get({
                 let store = store.clone();
                 move |accept, query| async {
-                    block_in_place(|| count_distinct_dids(accept, query, store))
+                    spawn_blocking(|| count_distinct_dids(accept, query, store))
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(to500)?
                 }
             }),
         )
@@ -69,7 +84,9 @@ where
             get({
                 let store = store.clone();
                 move |accept, query| async {
-                    block_in_place(|| get_backlinks(accept, query, store))
+                    spawn_blocking(|| get_backlinks(accept, query, store))
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(to500)?
                 }
             }),
         )
@@ -77,7 +94,11 @@ where
             "/links",
             get({
                 let store = store.clone();
-                move |accept, query| async { block_in_place(|| get_links(accept, query, store)) }
+                move |accept, query| async {
+                    spawn_blocking(|| get_links(accept, query, store))
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(to500)?
+                }
             }),
         )
         .route(
@@ -85,7 +106,9 @@ where
             get({
                 let store = store.clone();
                 move |accept, query| async {
-                    block_in_place(|| get_distinct_dids(accept, query, store))
+                    spawn_blocking(|| get_distinct_dids(accept, query, store))
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(to500)?
                 }
             }),
         )
@@ -95,7 +118,9 @@ where
             get({
                 let store = store.clone();
                 move |accept, query| async {
-                    block_in_place(|| count_all_links(accept, query, store))
+                    spawn_blocking(|| count_all_links(accept, query, store))
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(to500)?
                 }
             }),
         )
@@ -104,7 +129,9 @@ where
             get({
                 let store = store.clone();
                 move |accept, query| async {
-                    block_in_place(|| explore_links(accept, query, store))
+                    spawn_blocking(|| explore_links(accept, query, store))
+                        .await
+                        .map_err(to500)?
                 }
             }),
         )