diff --git a/passerelle/apps/photon/models.py b/passerelle/apps/photon/models.py
index d2eb1767..32d9d995 100644
--- a/passerelle/apps/photon/models.py
+++ b/passerelle/apps/photon/models.py
@@ -149,9 +149,13 @@ class Photon(BaseResource):
         except RequestException as e:
             raise APIError('failed to get %s: %s' % (url, e))
 
-        result = []
+        try:
+            response_json = result_response.json()
+        except ValueError:
+            raise APIError('invalid photon response (%r)' % result_response.content[:1024])
 
-        for feature in result_response.json().get('features'):
+        result = []
+        for feature in response_json.get('features'):
             if not feature['geometry']['type'] == 'Point':
                 continue  # skip unknown
             if zipcode and feature['properties'].get('postcode') != zipcode:
@@ -207,9 +211,14 @@ class Photon(BaseResource):
             result_response.raise_for_status()
         except RequestException as e:
             raise APIError('failed to get %s: %s' % (url, e))
-        result = None
 
-        for feature in result_response.json().get('features'):
+        try:
+            response_json = result_response.json()
+        except ValueError:
+            raise APIError('invalid photon response (%r)' % result_response.content[:1024])
+
+        result = None
+        for feature in response_json.get('features'):
             if not feature['geometry']['type'] == 'Point':
                 continue  # skip unknown
             result = self.format_address_data(feature)
diff --git a/tests/test_photon.py b/tests/test_photon.py
index f5d1ea94..3d943c01 100644
--- a/tests/test_photon.py
+++ b/tests/test_photon.py
@@ -319,3 +319,17 @@ def test_photon_reverse_cache(app, photon, freezer, mock_photon_reverse, mock_ph
     resp = app.get('/photon/%s/reverse?lon=4.8522272&lat=45.7587414' % photon.slug)
     assert mock_photon_reverse.call['count'] == 2
     assert AddressCacheModel.objects.get().timestamp > first_timestamp
+
+
+@mock.patch('passerelle.utils.Request.get')
+def test_photon_non_json(mocked_get, app, photon):
+    response = tests.utils.FakedResponse(content=b'xxx', status_code=200)
+    mocked_get.return_value = response
+
+    resp = app.get('/photon/%s/search' % photon.slug, params={'q': 'plop'}, status=200)
+    assert resp.json['err'] == 1
+    assert resp.json['err_desc'] == "invalid photon response (b'xxx')"
+
+    resp = app.get('/photon/%s/reverse' % photon.slug, params={'lat': '0', 'lon': '0'}, status=200)
+    assert resp.json['err'] == 1
+    assert resp.json['err_desc'] == "invalid photon response (b'xxx')"