diff --git a/services/nginx/app/routes/orderItemsRoute.php b/services/nginx/app/routes/orderItemsRoute.php
index ca1baa3e..6dc7d174 100644
--- a/services/nginx/app/routes/orderItemsRoute.php
+++ b/services/nginx/app/routes/orderItemsRoute.php
@@ -191,8 +191,8 @@ class orderItemsRoute
                 $itemId = (int)$data['id'];
                 $stmt = $db->prepare('SELECT oi.order_id FROM order_items oi WHERE oi.id = ? LIMIT 1');
                 if ($stmt === false) {
-                    (new logs_o())->add('order_items', 'global', 1, 0, 'DELETE_ORDER_ITEMS', 'Failed to prepare department access check query');
-                    $response->error('Failed to validate department access', 500);
+                    (new logs_o())->add('order_items', 'global', 1, 0, 'DELETE_ORDER_ITEMS', 'Database error while preparing department access check query');
+                    $response->error('Database error while checking department access', 500);
                 }
                 $stmt->bind_param('i', $itemId);
                 $stmt->execute();
@@ -200,9 +200,10 @@ class orderItemsRoute
                 $stmt->close();
                 if ($orderItemRow !== null) {
                     $orderForAccess = (new orders_o())->getOrderById((int)$orderItemRow['order_id']);
-                    if ($orderForAccess->exists()) {
-                        self::requireDepartmentAccess((string)(int)$orderForAccess->department_id->value());
+                    if (!$orderForAccess->exists()) {
+                        $response->error('Order not found', 404);
                     }
+                    self::requireDepartmentAccess((string)(int)$orderForAccess->department_id->value());
                 }
                 // Delete the order item
                 (new order_items_o())->removeOrderItem((int)$data['id']);