diff --git a/courseware/api.py b/courseware/api.py
index e0d1c6426..9f223f425 100644
--- a/courseware/api.py
+++ b/courseware/api.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 from edx_api.client import EdxApi
 from oauth2_provider.models import AccessToken, Application
 from oauthlib.common import generate_token
+from requests.exceptions import ConnectionError as RequestConnectionError
 from requests.exceptions import HTTPError
 from rest_framework import status
 
@@ -848,6 +849,9 @@ def validate_name_with_edx(name):
         response = edx_client.user_validation.validate_user_registration_info(
             registration_information={"name": name},
         )
+    except RequestConnectionError:
+        # Silently fail if connection cannot be established with the open edx instance.
+        return ""
     except Exception as exc:
         raise EdxApiRegistrationValidationException(name, exc.response) from exc
     else:
diff --git a/courseware/exceptions.py b/courseware/exceptions.py
index 79507f17d..795e45afe 100644
--- a/courseware/exceptions.py
+++ b/courseware/exceptions.py
@@ -78,7 +78,10 @@ def __init__(self, name, error_response, msg=None):
         """
         self.name = name
         self.response = error_response
+        error_summary = (
+            get_error_response_summary(self.response) if self.response else ""
+        )
         if msg is None:
             # Set some default useful error message
-            msg = f"EdX API error validating registration name {self.name}.\n{get_error_response_summary(self.response)}"
+            msg = f"EdX API error validating registration name {self.name}.\n{error_summary}"
         super().__init__(msg)