diff --git a/modules/backend/src/main/scala/services/data/DataServiceError.scala b/modules/backend/src/main/scala/services/data/DataServiceError.scala
index e7fe9d66a..c762e1bf1 100644
--- a/modules/backend/src/main/scala/services/data/DataServiceError.scala
+++ b/modules/backend/src/main/scala/services/data/DataServiceError.scala
@@ -72,8 +72,6 @@ case class ItemNotFound(
   def this(id: String) = this(Some("id"), Some(id))
 }
 
-case class ServerError(error: String) extends RuntimeException(error) with DataServiceError
-
 case class CriticalError(error: String) extends RuntimeException(error) with DataServiceError
 
 case class BadJson(
diff --git a/modules/portal/app/controllers/portal/account/Accounts.scala b/modules/portal/app/controllers/portal/account/Accounts.scala
index bc913e66a..392ea09b4 100644
--- a/modules/portal/app/controllers/portal/account/Accounts.scala
+++ b/modules/portal/app/controllers/portal/account/Accounts.scala
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ import auth.oauth2.{OAuth2Config, UserData}
 import auth.sso.{DiscourseSSO, DiscourseSSOError, DiscourseSSONotEnabledError}
 import auth.{AuthenticationError, HashedPassword}
 import com.google.common.net.HttpHeaders
-import controllers.{AppComponents, renderError}
 import controllers.base.RecaptchaHelper
 import controllers.portal.base.PortalController
+import controllers.{AppComponents, renderError}
 import forms.{AccountForms, HoneyPotForm, TimeCheckForm}
 import models._
 import play.api.Logger
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import play.api.libs.openid.OpenIdClient
 import play.api.libs.ws.WSClient
 import play.api.mvc.{Result, _}
 import services.RateLimitChecker
-import services.data.{AnonymousUser, AuthenticatedUser}
+import services.data.{AnonymousUser, AuthenticatedUser, ItemNotFound}
 import services.oauth2.OAuth2Service
 
 import java.net.ConnectException
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ case class Accounts @Inject()(
                 implicit val apiUser: AnonymousUser.type = AnonymousUser
                 val uuid = UUID.randomUUID()
                 val profileData = Map(UserProfileF.NAME -> data.name)
-                for {
+                (for {
                   profile <- userDataApi.createNewUserProfile[UserProfile](
                     data = profileData, groups = conf.defaultPortalGroups)
                   account <- accounts.create(Account(
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ case class Accounts @Inject()(
                 } yield {
                   sendValidationEmail(profile.data.name, data.email, uuid)
                   result
+                }).recoverWith {
+                  case e: ItemNotFound =>
+                    logger.error(s"Backend error creating user account: $e")
+                    badForm(boundForm.withGlobalError("errors.databaseError"), InternalServerError)
                 }
             }
           }
diff --git a/modules/portal/conf/messages b/modules/portal/conf/messages
index a3bef2365..22f4b6acd 100644
--- a/modules/portal/conf/messages
+++ b/modules/portal/conf/messages
@@ -434,7 +434,6 @@ error.globalErrors=There were problems with that form:
 error.date=Date is incorrect or badly formatted
 error.badUrl=URL is incorrect or badly formatted. Note: for web addresses, a valid URL must be prefixed \
   be the scheme, e.g. ''http://'' or ''https://''
-
 error.required=Required
 error.emailExists=Email is either invalid or is already registered
 error.unknownUser=Unknown user
diff --git a/test/integration/portal/SignupSpec.scala b/test/integration/portal/SignupSpec.scala
index 54f8834b2..2ebe4d9ae 100644
--- a/test/integration/portal/SignupSpec.scala
+++ b/test/integration/portal/SignupSpec.scala
@@ -106,6 +106,13 @@ class SignupSpec extends IntegrationTestRunner {
       }
     }
 
+    "give a 500 error if defaultGroups not present in DB" in new ITestApp(
+      specificConfig = Map("ehri.portal.defaultUserGroups" -> Seq("BAD_GROUP"))) {
+      val signup = FakeRequest(accountRoutes.signupPost()).withCsrf.callWith(data)
+      status(signup) must equalTo(INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
+    }
+
+
     "allow log in after sign up" in new ITestApp {
       val testEmail2 = "newuser@example.com"
       val data2 = data.updated(SignupData.EMAIL, Seq(testEmail2))