diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/matrix_badge.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/matrix_badge.rb
index 6ff027631..daa78e78d 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/matrix_badge.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/matrix_badge.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ class MatrixBadge < Badge
         private
 
         def latest_verification
+          return nil unless pact
           @latest_verification ||= verification_service.find_latest_verification_for_tags(
             identifier_from_path[:consumer_name],
             identifier_from_path[:provider_name],
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/pacticipants/repository.rb b/lib/pact_broker/pacticipants/repository.rb
index 32583f21a..629167161 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/pacticipants/repository.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/pacticipants/repository.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ def find_by_name name
         pacticipants.first
       end
 
+      def find_by_name! name
+        pacticipant = find_by_name(name)
+        raise PactBroker::Error, "No pacticipant found with name '#{name}'" unless pacticipant
+        pacticipant
+      end
+
       def find_by_id id
         PactBroker::Domain::Pacticipant.where(id: id).single_record
       end
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/pacticipants/service.rb b/lib/pact_broker/pacticipants/service.rb
index f11435a7d..3b689c8cd 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/pacticipants/service.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/pacticipants/service.rb
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ def self.find_pacticipant_by_name name
         pacticipant_repository.find_by_name(name)
       end
 
+      def self.find_pacticipant_by_name! name
+        pacticipant_repository.find_by_name!(name)
+      end
+
       def self.find_by_id id
         pacticipant_repository.find_by_id(id)
       end
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/verifications/repository.rb b/lib/pact_broker/verifications/repository.rb
index 5ba157c56..4d35c4aa1 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/verifications/repository.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/verifications/repository.rb
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ def find_latest_verification_for consumer_name, provider_name, consumer_version_
 
       def find_latest_verification_for_tags consumer_name, provider_name, consumer_version_tag, provider_version_tag
         view_name = PactBroker::Domain::Verification.table_name
-        consumer = pacticipant_repository.find_by_name(consumer_name)
-        provider = pacticipant_repository.find_by_name(provider_name)
+        consumer = pacticipant_repository.find_by_name!(consumer_name)
+        provider = pacticipant_repository.find_by_name!(provider_name)
 
         consumer_tag_filter = PactBroker::Repositories::Helpers.name_like(Sequel.qualify(:consumer_tags, :name), consumer_version_tag)
         provider_tag_filter = PactBroker::Repositories::Helpers.name_like(Sequel.qualify(:provider_tags, :name), provider_version_tag)
diff --git a/spec/features/get_matrix_badge_spec.rb b/spec/features/get_matrix_badge_spec.rb
index 7b39cd5b6..0c6806204 100644
--- a/spec/features/get_matrix_badge_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/get_matrix_badge_spec.rb
@@ -37,4 +37,13 @@
   it "returns an svg body" do
     expect(subject.body).to include "<svg/>"
   end
+
+  context "when one of the pacticipants does not exist" do
+    let(:path) { "/matrix/provider/provider/latest/master/consumer/consumer2/latest/prod/badge" }
+
+    it "returns a 200 status as the badge content indicated the pact is not found" do
+      expect(subject.status).to eq 200
+      expect(subject.body).to include "not found"
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/badge_spec.rb b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/badge_spec.rb
index 621502c6f..9741bed90 100644
--- a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/badge_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/badge_spec.rb
@@ -63,6 +63,15 @@ module Resources
             subject
           end
 
+          context "when the pact is not found" do
+            let(:pact) { nil }
+
+            it "does not retrieve the latest verification" do
+              expect(PactBroker::Verifications::Service).to_not receive(:find_latest_verification_for)
+              subject
+            end
+          end
+
           it "determines the pact's verification status based on the latest pact and latest verification" do
             expect(PactBroker::Verifications::PseudoBranchStatus).to receive(:new).with(pact, verification)
             subject
@@ -156,32 +165,43 @@ module Resources
             let(:path) { "/matrix/provider/provider/latest/master/consumer/consumer/latest/prod/badge" }
             let(:row) { { consumer_name: 'consumer', provider_name: 'provider' } }
 
-            it "looks up the verification" do
-              expect(PactBroker::Verifications::Service).to receive(:find_latest_verification_for_tags) do | consumer, provider, tag|
-                expect(consumer.name).to eq 'consumer'
-                expect(provider.name).to eq 'provider'
-                expect(tag).to eq 'prod'
+            context "when a pact is found" do
+              it "looks up the verification" do
+                expect(PactBroker::Verifications::Service).to receive(:find_latest_verification_for_tags) do | consumer, provider, tag|
+                  expect(consumer.name).to eq 'consumer'
+                  expect(provider.name).to eq 'provider'
+                  expect(tag).to eq 'prod'
+                end
+                subject
               end
-              subject
-            end
 
-            context "when a verification is found" do
-              before do
-                allow(PactBroker::Verifications::Service).to receive(:find_latest_verification_for_tags).and_return(verification)
+              context "when a verification is found" do
+                before do
+                  allow(PactBroker::Verifications::Service).to receive(:find_latest_verification_for_tags).and_return(verification)
+                end
+
+                it "returns the badge" do
+                  expect(subject.body).to end_with "badge"
+                end
               end
 
-              it "returns the badge" do
-                expect(subject.body).to end_with "badge"
+              context "when a verification is not found" do
+                before do
+                  allow(PactBroker::Verifications::Service).to receive(:find_latest_verification_for_tags).and_return(nil)
+                end
+
+                it "returns the badge" do
+                  expect(subject.body).to end_with "badge"
+                end
               end
             end
 
-            context "when a verification is not found" do
-              before do
-                allow(PactBroker::Verifications::Service).to receive(:find_latest_verification_for_tags).and_return(nil)
-              end
+            context "when a pact is not found" do
+              let(:pact) { nil }
 
-              it "returns the badge" do
-                expect(subject.body).to end_with "badge"
+              it "does not look up the verification" do
+                expect(PactBroker::Verifications::Service).to_not receive(:find_latest_verification_for_tags)
+                subject
               end
             end
           end
diff --git a/spec/lib/pact_broker/verifications/repository_spec.rb b/spec/lib/pact_broker/verifications/repository_spec.rb
index 3928fb443..1211d88b2 100644
--- a/spec/lib/pact_broker/verifications/repository_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/pact_broker/verifications/repository_spec.rb
@@ -295,6 +295,26 @@ module Verifications
             expect(subject.number).to eq 2
           end
         end
+
+        context "when the consumer does not exist" do
+          subject { Repository.new.find_latest_verification_for_tags("Foo", "Bar", "feat-x", "feat-y") }
+
+          it "raises an error" do
+            expect{ subject }.to raise_error PactBroker::Error, /Foo/
+          end
+        end
+
+        context "when the provider does not exist" do
+          before do
+            td.create_consumer("Foo")
+          end
+
+          subject { Repository.new.find_latest_verification_for_tags("Foo", "Bar", "feat-x", "feat-y") }
+
+          it "raises an error" do
+            expect{ subject }.to raise_error PactBroker::Error, /Bar/
+          end
+        end
       end
 
       describe "delete_by_provider_version_id" do