diff --git a/src/routes/api/genesis/verify-lightning-payment/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/genesis/verify-lightning-payment/+server.ts
index 696cdee..fcd7e12 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/genesis/verify-lightning-payment/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/genesis/verify-lightning-payment/+server.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,16 @@ export const POST: RequestHandler = async ({ request, platform }) => {
 
     // Look up stored metadata to verify the request
     const kv = platform?.env?.GATED_CONTENT ?? null;
+    if (!kv && env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
+      console.error('[Genesis Lightning] GATED_CONTENT KV binding is missing in production environment');
+      return json(
+        {
+          error: 'Service unavailable',
+          message: 'GATED_CONTENT KV namespace is not configured'
+        },
+        { status: 503 }
+      );
+    }
     const metadata = receiveRequestId
       ? await getInvoiceMetadata(kv, receiveRequestId)
       : await getInvoiceMetadataByPaymentHash(kv, paymentHash);
diff --git a/src/routes/api/membership/verify-lightning-payment/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/membership/verify-lightning-payment/+server.ts
index 7d28626..e6ed5ba 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/membership/verify-lightning-payment/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/membership/verify-lightning-payment/+server.ts
@@ -71,11 +71,13 @@ export const POST: RequestHandler = async ({ request, platform }) => {
 
     // Look up stored metadata to verify the request matches what was created
     const kv = platform?.env?.GATED_CONTENT ?? null;
-
-    // In production, missing KV binding is a misconfiguration, not a 404
     if (!kv && env.NODE_ENV === 'production') {
+      console.error('[Verify Lightning] GATED_CONTENT KV binding is missing in production environment');
       return json(
-        { error: 'Service unavailable: GATED_CONTENT KV binding is missing' },
+        {
+          error: 'Service unavailable',
+          message: 'GATED_CONTENT KV namespace is not configured'
+        },
         { status: 503 }
       );
     }