diff --git a/server/controllers/apply/applicationsController.test.ts b/server/controllers/apply/applicationsController.test.ts
index 6517bbd51..e790d8a37 100644
--- a/server/controllers/apply/applicationsController.test.ts
+++ b/server/controllers/apply/applicationsController.test.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import paths from '../../paths/apply'
 import { firstPageOfApplicationJourney, getResponses } from '../../utils/applicationUtils'
 import { DateFormats } from '../../utils/dateUtils'
 import extractCallConfig from '../../utils/restUtils'
+import { SanitisedError } from '../../sanitisedError'
 
 jest.mock('../../utils/validation')
 jest.mock('../../utils/applicationUtils')
@@ -133,6 +134,20 @@ describe('applicationsController', () => {
         personService.getOffences.mockResolvedValue([offence])
       })
 
+      describe('if we fail to fetch offences', () => {
+        it('should render guidance on missing NOMS number', async () => {
+          const err = <SanitisedError>{ data: { status: 404 } }
+          personService.getOffences.mockImplementation(() => {
+            throw err
+          })
+          const requestHandler = applicationsController.new()
+
+          await requestHandler(request, response, next)
+
+          expect(response.render).toHaveBeenCalledWith('applications/people/missingNoms')
+        })
+      })
+
       describe('if an error has not been sent to the flash', () => {
         beforeEach(() => {
           ;(fetchErrorsAndUserInput as jest.Mock).mockImplementation(() => {
diff --git a/server/controllers/apply/applicationsController.ts b/server/controllers/apply/applicationsController.ts
index 4e7fcf2e4..ca7abd57d 100644
--- a/server/controllers/apply/applicationsController.ts
+++ b/server/controllers/apply/applicationsController.ts
@@ -58,19 +58,28 @@ export default class ApplicationsController {
       if (crnArr.length) {
         const crn = crnArr[0]
         const person = await this.personService.findByCrn(callConfig, crn)
-        const offences = await this.personService.getOffences(callConfig, crn)
 
-        const offenceId = offences.length === 1 ? offences[0].offenceId : null
-
-        return res.render(`applications/people/confirm`, {
-          person,
-          date: DateFormats.dateObjtoUIDate(new Date()),
-          crn,
-          offenceId,
-          errors,
-          errorSummary,
-          ...userInput,
-        })
+        try {
+          const offences = await this.personService.getOffences(callConfig, crn)
+
+          const offenceId = offences.length === 1 ? offences[0].offenceId : null
+
+          return res.render(`applications/people/confirm`, {
+            person,
+            date: DateFormats.dateObjtoUIDate(new Date()),
+            crn,
+            offenceId,
+            errors,
+            errorSummary,
+            ...userInput,
+          })
+        } catch (e) {
+          if (e?.data?.status === 404) {
+            return res.render('applications/people/missingNoms')
+          }
+
+          throw e
+        }
       }
 
       return res.render('applications/new', {