diff --git a/omeroweb/templates/nginx-development.conf.template b/omeroweb/templates/nginx-development.conf.template
index 75dafb63a0..504c414426 100644
--- a/omeroweb/templates/nginx-development.conf.template
+++ b/omeroweb/templates/nginx-development.conf.template
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ http {
 
         sendfile on;
         client_max_body_size %(MAX_BODY_SIZE)s;
+        error_page 502 =502 @maintenance%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
 
 %(NGINX_SERVER_EXTRA_CONFIG)s
 
@@ -59,7 +60,6 @@ http {
 
         location %(FORCE_SCRIPT_NAME)s {
 
-            error_page 502 @maintenance%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
             # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
             try_files $uri @proxy_to_app%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
         }
diff --git a/omeroweb/templates/nginx-location.conf.template b/omeroweb/templates/nginx-location.conf.template
index 8a2018dfbe..bda38ef2fe 100644
--- a/omeroweb/templates/nginx-location.conf.template
+++ b/omeroweb/templates/nginx-location.conf.template
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ location %(STATIC_URL)s {
 }
 
 location @proxy_to_app%(PREFIX_NAME)s {
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
     proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ location @proxy_to_app%(PREFIX_NAME)s {
 
 location %(FORCE_SCRIPT_NAME)s {
 
-    error_page 502 @maintenance%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
     # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
     try_files $uri @proxy_to_app%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
 }
diff --git a/omeroweb/templates/nginx.conf.template b/omeroweb/templates/nginx.conf.template
index b9350515d4..7ff31cd58a 100644
--- a/omeroweb/templates/nginx.conf.template
+++ b/omeroweb/templates/nginx.conf.template
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ server {
 
     sendfile on;
     client_max_body_size %(MAX_BODY_SIZE)s;
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
 
 %(NGINX_SERVER_EXTRA_CONFIG)s
 
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ server {
 
     location %(FORCE_SCRIPT_NAME)s {
 
-        error_page 502 @maintenance%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
         # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
         try_files $uri @proxy_to_app%(PREFIX_NAME)s;
     }
diff --git a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-development-withoptions.conf b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-development-withoptions.conf
index de1293a700..8ee1f5198f 100644
--- a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-development-withoptions.conf
+++ b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-development-withoptions.conf
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ http {
 
         sendfile on;
         client_max_body_size 2m;
+        error_page 502 =502 @maintenance_test;
 
 # <<<<< omero.web.nginx_server_extra_config
 listen 443 ssl;
@@ -63,7 +64,6 @@ ssl_certificate_key /dummy/private.key;
 
         location /test {
 
-            error_page 502 @maintenance_test;
             # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
             try_files $uri @proxy_to_app_test;
         }
diff --git a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-development.conf b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-development.conf
index e7599da4f1..af0590e8d7 100644
--- a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-development.conf
+++ b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-development.conf
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ http {
 
         sendfile on;
         client_max_body_size 0;
+        error_page 502 =502 @maintenance;
 
 
 
@@ -59,7 +60,6 @@ http {
 
         location / {
 
-            error_page 502 @maintenance;
             # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
             try_files $uri @proxy_to_app;
         }
diff --git a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-location-withoptions.conf b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-location-withoptions.conf
index 7b6907e101..cd668746f2 100644
--- a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-location-withoptions.conf
+++ b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-location-withoptions.conf
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ location /test-static {
 }
 
 location @proxy_to_app_test {
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance_test;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
     proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ location @proxy_to_app_test {
 
 location /test {
 
-    error_page 502 @maintenance_test;
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance_test;
     # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
     try_files $uri @proxy_to_app_test;
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-location.conf b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-location.conf
index ed47f43598..c6be915b19 100644
--- a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-location.conf
+++ b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-location.conf
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ location /static {
 }
 
 location @proxy_to_app {
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
     proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ location @proxy_to_app {
 
 location / {
 
-    error_page 502 @maintenance;
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance;
     # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
     try_files $uri @proxy_to_app;
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-withoptions.conf b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-withoptions.conf
index 0d208dd8dd..3b14f59272 100644
--- a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-withoptions.conf
+++ b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx-withoptions.conf
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ server {
 
     sendfile on;
     client_max_body_size 2m;
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance_test;
 
 # <<<<< omero.web.nginx_server_extra_config
 listen 443 ssl;
@@ -38,7 +39,6 @@ ssl_certificate_key /dummy/private.key;
 
     location /test {
 
-        error_page 502 @maintenance_test;
         # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
         try_files $uri @proxy_to_app_test;
     }
diff --git a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx.conf b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx.conf
index e41ec5e43f..86c74e6d51 100644
--- a/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx.conf
+++ b/test/unit/reference_templates/nginx.conf
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ server {
 
     sendfile on;
     client_max_body_size 0;
+    error_page 502 =502 @maintenance;
 
 
 
@@ -34,7 +35,6 @@ server {
 
     location / {
 
-        error_page 502 @maintenance;
         # checks for static file, if not found proxy to app
         try_files $uri @proxy_to_app;
     }
diff --git a/test/unit/test_web.py b/test/unit/test_web.py
index bfb1a7894d..193b27f9ba 100644
--- a/test/unit/test_web.py
+++ b/test/unit/test_web.py
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ def normalise_generated(self, s):
     def compare_with_reference(self, refname, generated):
         reffile = path(__file__).dirname() / "reference_templates" / refname
         generated = generated.split("\n")
+        # Temporarily uncomment the following line to regenerate the templates
         # reffile.write_lines(generated)
         ref = reffile.lines(retain=False)
         d = "\n".join(unified_diff(ref, generated))