diff --git a/atst/domain/exceptions.py b/atst/domain/exceptions.py
index 802997d4..b92e64c1 100644
--- a/atst/domain/exceptions.py
+++ b/atst/domain/exceptions.py
@@ -14,3 +14,17 @@ class AlreadyExistsError(Exception):
     @property
     def message(self):
         return "{} already exists".format(self.resource_name)
+
+
+class UnauthorizedError(Exception):
+    def __init__(self, user, action):
+        self.user = user
+        self.action = action
+
+    @property
+    def message(self):
+        return "User {} not authorized to {}".format(self.user.id, self.action)
+
+
+class UnauthenticatedError(Exception):
+    pass
diff --git a/atst/routes/__init__.py b/atst/routes/__init__.py
index 4e346fa9..965b4b37 100644
--- a/atst/routes/__init__.py
+++ b/atst/routes/__init__.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-from flask import Blueprint, abort, render_template, g, redirect, session, url_for, request
+from flask import Blueprint, render_template, g, redirect, session, url_for, request
 from flask import current_app as app
 import pendulum
 
 from atst.domain.requests import Requests
 from atst.domain.users import Users
 from atst.domain.authnid.utils import parse_sdn
+from atst.domain.exceptions import UnauthenticatedError
 
 bp = Blueprint("atst", __name__)
 
@@ -29,6 +30,9 @@ def catch_all(path):
     return render_template("{}.html".format(path))
 
 
+# TODO: this should be partly consolidated into a domain function that takes
+# all the necessary UWSGI environment values as args and either returns a user
+# or raises the UnauthenticatedError
 @bp.route('/login-redirect')
 def login_redirect():
     if request.environ.get('HTTP_X_SSL_CLIENT_VERIFY') == 'SUCCESS' and _is_valid_certificate(request):
@@ -39,7 +43,7 @@ def login_redirect():
 
         return redirect(url_for("atst.home"))
     else:
-        return abort(401)
+        raise UnauthenticatedError()
 
 
 def _is_valid_certificate(request):
diff --git a/atst/routes/errors.py b/atst/routes/errors.py
index 261c654c..0d0211b8 100644
--- a/atst/routes/errors.py
+++ b/atst/routes/errors.py
@@ -1,13 +1,19 @@
 from flask import render_template
 
+import atst.domain.exceptions as exceptions
+
 
 def make_error_pages(app):
-    @app.errorhandler(404)
+    @app.errorhandler(exceptions.NotFoundError)
+    @app.errorhandler(exceptions.UnauthorizedError)
+    # pylint: disable=unused-variable
     def not_found(e):
         return render_template("not_found.html"), 404
 
 
-    @app.errorhandler(401)
+    @app.errorhandler(exceptions.UnauthenticatedError)
+    # pylint: disable=unused-variable
     def unauthorized(e):
         return render_template('unauthorized.html'), 401
 
+    return app
diff --git a/atst/routes/requests/requests_form.py b/atst/routes/requests/requests_form.py
index 688a4ce0..ee03c155 100644
--- a/atst/routes/requests/requests_form.py
+++ b/atst/routes/requests/requests_form.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-from flask import abort, g, redirect, render_template, url_for, request as http_request
+from flask import g, redirect, render_template, url_for, request as http_request
 
 from . import requests_bp
 from atst.domain.requests import Requests
 from atst.routes.requests.jedi_request_flow import JEDIRequestFlow
 from atst.models.permissions import Permissions
+from atst.domain.exceptions import UnauthorizedError
 
 
 @requests_bp.route("/requests/new/<int:screen>", methods=["GET"])
@@ -26,8 +27,8 @@ def requests_form_new(screen):
 )
 @requests_bp.route("/requests/new/<int:screen>/<string:request_id>", methods=["GET"])
 def requests_form_update(screen=1, request_id=None):
-    if request_id and not _can_view_request(request_id):
-        abort(404)
+    if request_id:
+        _check_can_view_request(request_id)
 
     request = Requests.get(request_id) if request_id is not None else None
     jedi_flow = JEDIRequestFlow(screen, request, request_id=request_id)
@@ -107,8 +108,11 @@ def requests_submit(request_id=None):
 
 # TODO: generalize this, along with other authorizations, into a policy-pattern
 # for authorization in the application
-def _can_view_request(request_id):
-    return (
-        Permissions.REVIEW_AND_APPROVE_JEDI_WORKSPACE_REQUEST in g.current_user.atat_permissions
-        or Requests.is_creator(request_id, g.current_user.id)
-    )
+def _check_can_view_request(request_id):
+    if Permissions.REVIEW_AND_APPROVE_JEDI_WORKSPACE_REQUEST in g.current_user.atat_permissions:
+        pass
+    elif Requests.is_creator(request_id, g.current_user.id):
+        pass
+    else:
+        raise UnauthorizedError(g.current_user, "view request {}".format(request_id))
+