diff --git a/assets/js/counter.js b/assets/js/counter.js
index 54a77a75..4742697f 100644
--- a/assets/js/counter.js
+++ b/assets/js/counter.js
@@ -18,14 +18,22 @@
     fetch("/api/hits?slug=" + slug)
       .then((response) => response.json())
       .then((data) => {
-        // finally inject the hits and hide the loading spinner
-        var spinner = document.getElementById("hit-spinner");
-        var counter = document.getElementById("hit-counter");
+        if (typeof data.hits !== "undefined") {
+          // finally inject the hits and hide the loading spinner
+          var spinner = document.getElementById("hit-spinner");
+          var counter = document.getElementById("hit-counter");
 
-        spinner.style.display = "none";
-        wrapper.title = data.pretty_hits + " " + data.pretty_unit;
-        counter.appendChild(document.createTextNode(data.pretty_hits));
+          spinner.style.display = "none";
+          wrapper.title = data.pretty_hits + " " + data.pretty_unit;
+          counter.appendChild(document.createTextNode(data.pretty_hits));
+        } else {
+          // something went horribly wrong, initiate coverup
+          wrapper.style.display = "none";
+        }
       })
-      .catch((error) => {});
+      .catch((error) => {
+        // something went horribly wrong, initiate coverup
+        wrapper.style.display = "none";
+      });
   }
 })();
diff --git a/functions/hits.js b/functions/hits.js
index e2f6d581..f662206f 100644
--- a/functions/hits.js
+++ b/functions/hits.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+"use strict";
+
 const faunadb = require("faunadb"),
   q = faunadb.query;
 const numeral = require("numeral");
@@ -9,12 +11,8 @@ require("dotenv").config();
 require("encoding");
 
 exports.handler = async (event, context) => {
-  const { slug } = event.queryStringParameters;
-  const client = new faunadb.Client({
-    secret: process.env.FAUNADB_SERVER_SECRET,
-  });
-
   // some rudimentary error handling
+  const { slug } = event.queryStringParameters;
   if (!slug || slug === "/") {
     return {
       statusCode: 400,
@@ -24,51 +22,62 @@ exports.handler = async (event, context) => {
     };
   }
 
-  const result = await client.query(
-    q.Let(
-      {
-        match: q.Match(q.Index("hits_by_slug"), slug),
-      },
-      q.If(
-        q.Exists(q.Var("match")),
-        q.Let(
-          {
-            ref: q.Select("ref", q.Get(q.Var("match"))),
-            hits: q.ToInteger(q.Select("hits", q.Select("data", q.Get(q.Var("match"))))),
-          },
-          q.Update(q.Var("ref"), {
+  try {
+    const client = new faunadb.Client({
+      secret: process.env.FAUNADB_SERVER_SECRET,
+    });
+
+    const result = await client.query(
+      q.Let(
+        {
+          match: q.Match(q.Index("hits_by_slug"), slug),
+        },
+        q.If(
+          q.Exists(q.Var("match")),
+          q.Let(
+            {
+              ref: q.Select("ref", q.Get(q.Var("match"))),
+              hits: q.ToInteger(q.Select("hits", q.Select("data", q.Get(q.Var("match"))))),
+            },
+            q.Update(q.Var("ref"), {
+              data: {
+                hits: q.Add(q.Var("hits"), 1),
+              },
+            })
+          ),
+          q.Create(q.Collection("hits"), {
             data: {
-              hits: q.Add(q.Var("hits"), 1),
+              slug: slug,
+              hits: 1,
             },
           })
-        ),
-        q.Create(q.Collection("hits"), {
-          data: {
-            slug: slug,
-            hits: 1,
-          },
-        })
+        )
       )
-    )
-  );
+    );
 
-  client.close();
+    // send client the new hit count
+    return {
+      statusCode: 200,
+      headers: {
+        "Cache-Control": "private, no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate",
+        Expires: "0",
+        Pragma: "no-cache",
+      },
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        slug: result.data.slug,
+        hits: result.data.hits,
+        pretty_hits: numeral(result.data.hits).format("0,0"),
+        pretty_unit: pluralize("hit", result.data.hits),
+      }),
+    };
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error(error);
 
-  const hits = result.data.hits;
-
-  // send client the new hit count
-  return {
-    statusCode: 200,
-    headers: {
-      "Cache-Control": "private, no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate",
-      Expires: "0",
-      Pragma: "no-cache",
-    },
-    body: JSON.stringify({
-      slug: slug,
-      hits: hits,
-      pretty_hits: numeral(hits).format("0,0"),
-      pretty_unit: pluralize("hit", hits),
-    }),
-  };
+    return {
+      statusCode: 400,
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        message: error.message,
+      }),
+    };
+  }
 };