diff --git a/app/Controllers/Abha.php b/app/Controllers/Abha.php
index cdfb877..aa0c51d 100644
--- a/app/Controllers/Abha.php
+++ b/app/Controllers/Abha.php
@@ -1549,13 +1549,17 @@ class Abha extends BaseController
             // A missing Bridge endpoint must not block ABHA creation — the modal
             // keeps the ABDM-assigned address and skips the selection step.
             $unsupported = in_array((int) ($result['http_code'] ?? 0), [404, 405], true);
+            $bridgeErr   = $this->extractBridgeErrorText($result, 'Unable to load ABHA address suggestions.');
+            if (stripos($bridgeErr, 'Internal Server Error') !== false || (int) ($result['http_code'] ?? 0) >= 500) {
+                $bridgeErr = 'Suggested ABHA addresses are temporarily unavailable from ABDM.';
+            }
 
             return $this->response->setJSON([
                 'ok'         => 0,
                 'supported'  => ! $unsupported,
                 'error_text' => $unsupported
                     ? 'The ABDM Bridge does not expose ABHA address suggestions yet.'
-                    : $this->extractBridgeErrorText($result, 'Unable to load ABHA address suggestions.'),
+                    : $bridgeErr,
                 'request_id' => (string) ($result['request_id'] ?? ''),
             ]);
         }
diff --git a/app/Views/partials/abha_create_modal.php b/app/Views/partials/abha_create_modal.php
index 2092fb9..4dfc6b2 100644
--- a/app/Views/partials/abha_create_modal.php
+++ b/app/Views/partials/abha_create_modal.php
@@ -383,6 +383,9 @@ window.AbhaCreateModal = (function () {
         var raw = response && (response.error_text || response.message)
             ? String(response.error_text || response.message)
             : fallback;
+        if (/Internal Server Error/i.test(raw)) {
+            raw = 'ABDM server is temporarily unavailable';
+        }
         if (/loginId/i.test(raw) && /invalid/i.test(raw)) {
             raw = 'Aadhaar Number is not valid. Valid 12-digit Aadhaar number is required.';
         }
@@ -793,7 +796,12 @@ window.AbhaCreateModal = (function () {
 
         $.post('<?= base_url('abha/create/address_suggestions') ?>', { txn_id: createTxnId, '<?= csrf_token() ?>': csrf() }, function (response) {
             if (!response || response.ok != 1 || !(response.suggestions || []).length) {
-                $('#abhaCreateAddressList').html('<div class="alert alert-warning py-2 mb-0">' + apiMessage(response, 'No suggested ABHA addresses are available from the bridge.') + ' Please enter a custom address below.</div>');
+                var msg = apiMessage(response, 'Suggested ABHA addresses are temporarily unavailable from ABDM.');
+                if (/Internal Server Error/i.test(msg) || /500/.test(msg)) {
+                    msg = 'Suggested ABHA addresses are temporarily unavailable from ABDM.';
+                }
+                msg = msg.replace(/\.+$/, '');
+                $('#abhaCreateAddressList').html('<div class="alert alert-info py-2 mb-0"><i class="bi bi-info-circle me-1"></i>' + msg + '. Please enter your preferred custom address below.</div>');
                 $('#abhaCreateCustomWrap').removeClass('d-none');
                 return;
             }
@@ -806,7 +814,12 @@ window.AbhaCreateModal = (function () {
             });
             $('#abhaCreateAddressList').html(html);
         }, 'json').fail(function (xhr) {
-            $('#abhaCreateAddressList').html('<div class="alert alert-warning py-2 mb-0">' + apiMessage(xhr.responseJSON, 'Unable to load address suggestions.') + ' Please enter a custom address below.</div>');
+            var msg = apiMessage(xhr.responseJSON, 'Suggested ABHA addresses are temporarily unavailable from ABDM.');
+            if (/Internal Server Error/i.test(msg) || /500/.test(msg)) {
+                msg = 'Suggested ABHA addresses are temporarily unavailable from ABDM.';
+            }
+            msg = msg.replace(/\.+$/, '');
+            $('#abhaCreateAddressList').html('<div class="alert alert-info py-2 mb-0"><i class="bi bi-info-circle me-1"></i>' + msg + '. Please enter your preferred custom address below.</div>');
             $('#abhaCreateCustomWrap').removeClass('d-none');
         });
     }