diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite.js.es6
index bb94adae25c..1747ee1c444 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/invite.js.es6
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
 
     createInvite() {
       const Invite = require('discourse/models/invite').default;
+      const self = this;
 
       if (this.get('disabled')) { return; }
 
@@ -168,11 +169,19 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
               } else if (this.get('isMessage') && result && result.user) {
                 this.get('model.details.allowed_users').pushObject(result.user);
               }
-            }).catch(() => model.setProperties({ saving: false, error: true }));
+            }).catch(function(e) {
+              if (e.jqXHR.responseJSON && e.jqXHR.responseJSON.errors) {
+                self.set("errorMessage", e.jqXHR.responseJSON.errors[0]);
+              } else {
+                self.set("errorMessage", self.get('isMessage') ? I18n.t('topic.invite_private.error') : I18n.t('topic.invite_reply.error'));
+              }
+              model.setProperties({ saving: false, error: true })
+            });
     },
 
     generateInvitelink() {
       const Invite = require('discourse/models/invite').default;
+      const self = this;
 
       if (this.get('disabled')) { return; }
 
@@ -193,7 +202,14 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend(ModalFunctionality, {
                 userInvitedController.set('model', invite_model);
                 userInvitedController.set('totalInvites', invite_model.invites.length);
               });
-            }).catch(() => model.setProperties({ saving: false, error: true }));
+            }).catch(function(e) {
+              if (e.jqXHR.responseJSON && e.jqXHR.responseJSON.errors) {
+                self.set("errorMessage", e.jqXHR.responseJSON.errors[0]);
+              } else {
+                self.set("errorMessage", self.get('isMessage') ? I18n.t('topic.invite_private.error') : I18n.t('topic.invite_reply.error'));
+              }
+              model.setProperties({ saving: false, error: true })
+            });
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/invites_controller.rb b/app/controllers/invites_controller.rb
index 1012248748e..1a7f87b7aac 100644
--- a/app/controllers/invites_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/invites_controller.rb
@@ -41,10 +41,14 @@ class InvitesController < ApplicationController
       guardian.ensure_can_send_multiple_invites!(current_user)
     end
 
-    if Invite.invite_by_email(params[:email], current_user, _topic=nil,  group_ids)
-      render json: success_json
-    else
-      render json: failed_json, status: 422
+    begin
+      if Invite.invite_by_email(params[:email], current_user, _topic=nil,  group_ids)
+        render json: success_json
+      else
+        render json: failed_json, status: 422
+      end
+    rescue => e
+      render json: {errors: [e.message]}, status: 422
     end
   end
 
@@ -59,11 +63,15 @@ class InvitesController < ApplicationController
       guardian.ensure_can_send_multiple_invites!(current_user)
     end
 
-    # generate invite link
-    if invite_link = Invite.generate_invite_link(params[:email], current_user, topic, group_ids)
-      render_json_dump(invite_link)
-    else
-      render json: failed_json, status: 422
+    begin
+      # generate invite link
+      if invite_link = Invite.generate_invite_link(params[:email], current_user, topic, group_ids)
+        render_json_dump(invite_link)
+      else
+        render json: failed_json, status: 422
+      end
+    rescue => e
+      render json: {errors: [e.message]}, status: 422
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
index 7848cbb34bc..1a61e740d0b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
@@ -326,15 +326,19 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
     group_ids = Group.lookup_group_ids(params)
     guardian.ensure_can_invite_to!(topic,group_ids)
 
-    if topic.invite(current_user, username_or_email, group_ids)
-      user = User.find_by_username_or_email(username_or_email)
-      if user
-        render_json_dump BasicUserSerializer.new(user, scope: guardian, root: 'user')
+    begin
+      if topic.invite(current_user, username_or_email, group_ids)
+        user = User.find_by_username_or_email(username_or_email)
+        if user
+          render_json_dump BasicUserSerializer.new(user, scope: guardian, root: 'user')
+        else
+          render json: success_json
+        end
       else
-        render json: success_json
+        render json: failed_json, status: 422
       end
-    else
-      render json: failed_json, status: 422
+    rescue => e
+      render json: {errors: [e.message]}, status: 422
     end
   end