diff --git a/app/api/chat/route.ts b/app/api/chat/route.ts
index a3c697e..0b8294d 100644
--- a/app/api/chat/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/chat/route.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,15 @@ const client = new HumanloopClient({
 
 export async function POST(req: Request) {
   if (!HUMANLOOP_API_KEY) {
-    throw new Error('HUMANLOOP_API_KEY is not set')
+    return new Response('Missing HUMANLOOP_API_KEY environment variable', {
+      status: 500,
+      statusText: 'Missing Humanloop API key'
+    })
   }
 
   const { messages } = await req.json()
 
+
   const chatResponse = await client.prompts.callStream({
     path: 'sdk-example',
     messages