diff --git a/core/lib/src/catcher.rs b/core/lib/src/catcher.rs
index e2f50279..8a27813e 100644
--- a/core/lib/src/catcher.rs
+++ b/core/lib/src/catcher.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 //! values.
 
 use std::fmt;
+use std::io::Cursor;
 
 use crate::response::Response;
 use crate::codegen::StaticCatcherInfo;
 use crate::request::Request;
+use crate::http::ContentType;
 
 use futures::future::BoxFuture;
 use yansi::Paint;
@@ -148,7 +150,7 @@ impl Catcher {
 impl Default for Catcher {
     fn default() -> Self {
         fn async_default<'r>(status: Status, request: &'r Request<'_>) -> ErrorHandlerFuture<'r> {
-            Box::pin(async move { default(status, request) })
+            Box::pin(async move { Ok(default(status, request)) })
         }
 
         Catcher { code: None, handler: Box::new(async_default) }
@@ -340,17 +342,17 @@ macro_rules! default_catcher_fn {
     ($($code:expr, $reason:expr, $description:expr),+) => (
         use std::borrow::Cow;
         use crate::http::Status;
-        use crate::response::{content, status, Responder};
 
-        pub(crate) fn default<'r>(status: Status, req: &'r Request<'_>) -> Result<'r> {
-            if req.accept().map(|a| a.preferred().is_json()).unwrap_or(false) {
+        pub(crate) fn default<'r>(status: Status, req: &'r Request<'_>) -> Response<'r> {
+            let preferred = req.accept().map(|a| a.preferred());
+            let (mime, text) = if preferred.map_or(false, |a| a.is_json()) {
                 let json: Cow<'_, str> = match status.code {
                     $($code => json_error_template!($code, $reason, $description).into(),)*
                     code => format!(json_error_fmt_template!("{}", "Unknown Error",
                             "An unknown error has occurred."), code).into()
                 };
 
-                status::Custom(status, content::Json(json)).respond_to(req)
+                (ContentType::JSON, json)
             } else {
                 let html: Cow<'_, str> = match status.code {
                     $($code => html_error_template!($code, $reason, $description).into(),)*
@@ -358,8 +360,16 @@ macro_rules! default_catcher_fn {
                             "An unknown error has occurred."), code, code).into(),
                 };
 
-                status::Custom(status, content::Html(html)).respond_to(req)
-            }
+                (ContentType::HTML, html)
+            };
+
+            let mut r = Response::build().status(status).header(mime).finalize();
+            match text {
+                Cow::Owned(v) => r.set_sized_body(v.len(), Cursor::new(v)),
+                Cow::Borrowed(v) => r.set_sized_body(v.len(), Cursor::new(v)),
+            };
+
+            r
         }
     )
 }
diff --git a/core/lib/src/server.rs b/core/lib/src/server.rs
index 718a97ae..dc1247b4 100644
--- a/core/lib/src/server.rs
+++ b/core/lib/src/server.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use std::io;
 use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe;
 
 use futures::stream::StreamExt;
 use futures::future::{Future, FutureExt, BoxFuture};
@@ -21,6 +22,20 @@ use crate::http::uri::Origin;
 // A token returned to force the execution of one method before another.
 pub(crate) struct Token;
 
+macro_rules! info_panic {
+    ($e:expr) => {{
+        error_!("A handler has panicked. This is an application bug.");
+        info_!("A panic in Rust must be treated as an exceptional event.");
+        info_!("Panicking is not a suitable error handling mechanism.");
+        info_!("Unwinding, the result of a panic, is an expensive operation.");
+        info_!("Panics will severely degrade application performance.");
+        info_!("Instead of panicking, return `Option` and/or `Result`.");
+        info_!("Values of either type can be returned directly from handlers.");
+        warn_!("Forwarding to the {} error catcher.", Paint::blue(500).bold());
+        $e
+    }}
+}
+
 // This function tries to hide all of the Hyper-ness from Rocket. It essentially
 // converts Hyper types into Rocket types, then calls the `dispatch` function,
 // which knows nothing about Hyper. Because responding depends on the
@@ -266,14 +281,9 @@ impl Rocket {
                 request.set_route(route);
 
                 // Dispatch the request to the handler.
-                let outcome = std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(route.handler.handle(request, data))
-                    .catch_unwind()
-                    .await
-                    .unwrap_or_else(|_| {
-                        error_!("A request handler panicked.");
-                        warn_!("Handling as a 500 error.");
-                        Outcome::Failure(Status::InternalServerError)
-                    });
+                let outcome = AssertUnwindSafe(route.handler.handle(request, data))
+                    .catch_unwind().await
+                    .unwrap_or_else(|_| info_panic!(Outcome::Failure(Status::InternalServerError)));
 
                 // Check if the request processing completed (Some) or if the
                 // request needs to be forwarded. If it does, continue the loop
@@ -290,53 +300,69 @@ impl Rocket {
         }
     }
 
-    // Finds the error catcher for the status `status` and executes it for the
-    // given request `req`. If a user has registered a catcher for `status`, the
-    // catcher is called. If the catcher fails to return a good response, the
-    // 500 catcher is executed. If there is no registered catcher for `status`,
-    // the default catcher is used.
-    pub(crate) fn handle_error<'s, 'r: 's>(
+    /// Invokes the handler with `req` for catcher with status `status`.
+    ///
+    /// In order of preference, invoked handler is:
+    ///   * the user's registered handler for `status`
+    ///   * the user's registered `default` handler
+    ///   * Rocket's default handler for `status`
+    ///
+    /// Return `Ok(result)` if the handler succeeded. Returns `Ok(Some(Status))`
+    /// if the handler ran to completion but failed. Returns `Ok(None)` if the
+    /// handler panicked while executing.
+    async fn invoke_catcher<'s, 'r: 's>(
         &'s self,
         status: Status,
         req: &'r Request<'s>
-    ) -> impl Future<Output = Response<'r>> + 's {
-        async move {
-            warn_!("Responding with {} catcher.", Paint::red(&status));
+    ) -> Result<Response<'r>, Option<Status>> {
+        // For now, we reset the delta state to prevent any modifications
+        // from earlier, unsuccessful paths from being reflected in error
+        // response. We may wish to relax this in the future.
+        req.cookies().reset_delta();
 
-            // For now, we reset the delta state to prevent any modifications
-            // from earlier, unsuccessful paths from being reflected in error
-            // response. We may wish to relax this in the future.
-            req.cookies().reset_delta();
+        // Try to get the active catcher
+        let catcher = self.catchers.get(&status.code)
+            .or_else(|| self.default_catcher.as_ref());
 
-            // Try to get the active catcher but fallback to user's 500 catcher.
-            let code = Paint::red(status.code);
-            let response = if let Some(catcher) = self.catchers.get(&status.code) {
-                std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(catcher.handler.handle(status, req)).catch_unwind().await
-            } else if let Some(ref default) =  self.default_catcher {
-                warn_!("No {} catcher found. Using default catcher.", code);
-                std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(default.handler.handle(status, req)).catch_unwind().await
-            } else {
-                warn_!("No {} or default catcher found. Using Rocket default catcher.", code);
-                Ok(crate::catcher::default(status, req))
-            };
+        if let Some(catcher) = catcher {
+            warn_!("Responding with registered {} catcher.", catcher);
+            let handler = AssertUnwindSafe(catcher.handler.handle(status, req));
+            handler.catch_unwind().await
+                .map(|result| result.map_err(Some))
+                .unwrap_or_else(|_| info_panic!(Err(None)))
+        } else {
+            let code = Paint::blue(status.code).bold();
+            warn_!("No {} catcher registered. Using Rocket default.", code);
+            Ok(crate::catcher::default(status, req))
+        }
+    }
 
-            // Dispatch to the catcher. If it fails, use the Rocket default 500.
-            match response {
-                Ok(Ok(r)) => r,
-                Ok(Err(err_status)) => {
-                    error_!("Catcher unexpectedly failed with {}.", err_status);
-                    warn_!("Using Rocket's default 500 error catcher.");
-                    let default = crate::catcher::default(Status::InternalServerError, req);
-                    default.expect("Rocket has default 500 response")
-                }
-                Err(_) => {
-                    error_!("Catcher panicked!");
-                    warn_!("Using Rocket's default 500 error catcher.");
-                    let default = crate::catcher::default(Status::InternalServerError, req);
-                    default.expect("Rocket has default 500 response")
-                }
+    // Invokes the catcher for `status`. Returns the response on success.
+    //
+    // On catcher failure, the 500 error catcher is attempted. If _that_ fails,
+    // the (infallible) default 500 error cather is used.
+    pub(crate) async fn handle_error<'s, 'r: 's>(
+        &'s self,
+        mut status: Status,
+        req: &'r Request<'s>
+    ) -> Response<'r> {
+        // Dispatch to the `status` catcher.
+        if let Ok(r) = self.invoke_catcher(status, req).await {
+            return r;
+        }
+
+        // If it fails and it's not a 500, try the 500 catcher.
+        if status != Status::InternalServerError {
+            error_!("Catcher failed. Attemping 500 error catcher.");
+            status = Status::InternalServerError;
+            if let Ok(r) = self.invoke_catcher(status, req).await {
+                return r;
             }
         }
+
+        // If it failed again or if it was already a 500, use Rocket's default.
+        error_!("{} catcher failed. Using Rocket default 500.", status.code);
+        crate::catcher::default(Status::InternalServerError, req)
     }
 
     // TODO.async: Solidify the Listener APIs and make this function public
diff --git a/core/lib/tests/panic-handling.rs b/core/lib/tests/panic-handling.rs
index f2675a9c..1c41915d 100644
--- a/core/lib/tests/panic-handling.rs
+++ b/core/lib/tests/panic-handling.rs
@@ -14,23 +14,43 @@ fn panic_catcher() -> &'static str {
     panic!("Panic in catcher")
 }
 
+#[catch(500)]
+fn ise() -> &'static str {
+    "Hey, sorry! :("
+}
+
+#[catch(500)]
+fn double_panic() {
+    panic!("so, so sorry...")
+}
+
 fn rocket() -> Rocket {
     rocket::ignite()
         .mount("/", routes![panic_route])
-        .register(catchers![panic_catcher])
+        .register(catchers![panic_catcher, ise])
 }
 
 #[test]
 fn catches_route_panic() {
-    let client = Client::tracked(rocket()).unwrap();
+    let client = Client::untracked(rocket()).unwrap();
     let response = client.get("/panic").dispatch();
     assert_eq!(response.status(), Status::InternalServerError);
+    assert_eq!(response.into_string().unwrap(), "Hey, sorry! :(");
 
 }
+#[test]
+fn catches_catcher_panic() {
+    let client = Client::untracked(rocket()).unwrap();
+    let response = client.get("/noroute").dispatch();
+    assert_eq!(response.status(), Status::InternalServerError);
+    assert_eq!(response.into_string().unwrap(), "Hey, sorry! :(");
+}
 
 #[test]
-fn catches_catcher_panic() {
-    let client = Client::tracked(rocket()).unwrap();
+fn catches_double_panic() {
+    let rocket = rocket().register(catchers![double_panic]);
+    let client = Client::untracked(rocket).unwrap();
     let response = client.get("/noroute").dispatch();
     assert_eq!(response.status(), Status::InternalServerError);
+    assert!(!response.into_string().unwrap().contains(":("));
 }