diff --git a/public/index-editorial.html b/public/index-editorial.html
index aeba8ca..1d40521 100644
--- a/public/index-editorial.html
+++ b/public/index-editorial.html
@@ -2570,11 +2570,14 @@ async function loadWhoisData(asn) {
   $('whoisContent').innerHTML = '<div class="section-loading">Loading WHOIS data...</div>';
   try {
     var resp = await fetch('/api/whois?resource=AS' + asn);
-    var d = await resp.json();
+    if (!resp.ok) { $('whoisContent').innerHTML = '<div style="color:var(--muted);font-size:.85rem">WHOIS unavailable (server ' + resp.status + ')</div>'; return; }
+    var text = await resp.text();
+    if (!text || text[0] === '<') { $('whoisContent').innerHTML = '<div style="color:var(--muted);font-size:.85rem">WHOIS temporarily unavailable</div>'; return; }
+    var d = JSON.parse(text);
     if (d.error) { $('whoisContent').innerHTML = '<div style="color:var(--orange);font-size:.85rem">WHOIS: ' + escHtml(d.error) + '</div>'; return; }
     renderWhois(d);
   } catch (e) {
-    $('whoisContent').innerHTML = '<div style="color:var(--red);font-size:.85rem">WHOIS lookup failed: ' + escHtml(e.message) + '</div>';
+    $('whoisContent').innerHTML = '<div style="color:var(--muted);font-size:.85rem">WHOIS lookup failed: ' + escHtml(e.message) + '</div>';
   }
 }