diff --git a/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/articles_controller.rb b/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/articles_controller.rb
index bc5f6c0fd37d..4e967cfbb1de 100644
--- a/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/articles_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/articles_controller.rb
@@ -39,10 +39,6 @@ def set_category
     )
   end
 
-  def portal
-    @portal ||= Portal.find_by!(slug: permitted_params[:slug], archived: false)
-  end
-
   def list_params
     params.permit(:query, :locale, :sort, :status)
   end
diff --git a/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/base_controller.rb b/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/base_controller.rb
index d9fec27b108b..70aa1e92eded 100644
--- a/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/base_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/base_controller.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ def set_color_scheme
              end
   end
 
+  def portal
+    @portal ||= Portal.find_by!(slug: params[:slug], archived: false)
+  end
+
   def set_locale(&)
     switch_locale_with_portal(&) if params[:locale].present?
     switch_locale_with_article(&) if params[:article_slug].present?
@@ -40,6 +44,8 @@ def switch_locale_with_portal(&)
 
   def switch_locale_with_article(&)
     article = Article.find_by(slug: params[:article_slug])
+    Rails.logger.info "Article: not found for slug: #{params[:article_slug]}"
+    render_404 && return if article.blank?
 
     @locale = if article.category.present?
                 article.category.locale
@@ -53,4 +59,9 @@ def switch_locale_with_article(&)
   def allow_iframe_requests
     response.headers.delete('X-Frame-Options') if @is_plain_layout_enabled
   end
+
+  def render_404
+    portal
+    render 'public/api/v1/portals/error/404', status: :not_found
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/categories_controller.rb b/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/categories_controller.rb
index 7326f383b5d9..c3a7b59e938a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/categories_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/public/api/v1/portals/categories_controller.rb
@@ -13,10 +13,9 @@ def show; end
   private
 
   def set_category
-    @category = @portal.categories.find_by!(locale: params[:locale], slug: params[:category_slug])
-  end
+    @category = @portal.categories.find_by(locale: params[:locale], slug: params[:category_slug])
 
-  def portal
-    @portal ||= Portal.find_by!(slug: params[:slug], archived: false)
+    Rails.logger.info "Category: not found for slug: #{params[:category_slug]}"
+    render_404 && return if @category.blank?
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/views/public/api/v1/portals/error/404.html.erb b/app/views/public/api/v1/portals/error/404.html.erb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5262e817ee8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/public/api/v1/portals/error/404.html.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+<div class="max-w-6xl h-full w-full flex-grow flex flex-col items-center justify-center mx-auto py-16 px-4 relative">
+    <div class="text-center mb-12">
+        <span class="text-8xl">🔍</span>
+    </div>
+    <h1 class="text-6xl text-center font-semibold text-slate-800 dark:text-slate-100 leading-relaxed"><%= I18n.t('public_portal.404.title') %></h1>
+    <p class="text-center text-slate-700 dark:text-slate-300 my-1"><%= I18n.t('public_portal.404.description') %></p>
+    <div class="text-center my-8">
+        <a href="/hc/<%= @portal.slug %>/<%= @portal.config['default_locale'] || params[:locale] %>/<%= @theme.present? ? '?theme='+@theme : ''  %>" class="text-woot-500 font-semibold underline">
+            <%= I18n.t('public_portal.404.back_to_home') %>
+        </a>
+    </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/config/locales/en.yml b/config/locales/en.yml
index 8bb388897d4d..e08681c22c1c 100644
--- a/config/locales/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/en.yml
@@ -220,6 +220,10 @@ en:
       made_with: Made with
     header:
       go_to_homepage: Go to the main site
+    404:
+      title: Page not found
+      description: We couldn't find the page you were looking for.
+      back_to_home: Go to home page
   slack_unfurl:
     fields:
      name: Name