diff --git a/addons/snailmail/models/snailmail_letter.py b/addons/snailmail/models/snailmail_letter.py
index 5531dc3125d..7c261a8787d 100644
--- a/addons/snailmail/models/snailmail_letter.py
+++ b/addons/snailmail/models/snailmail_letter.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import base64
 
 from odoo import fields, models, api, _
 from odoo.addons.iap.tools import iap_tools
+from odoo.exceptions import AccessError
 from odoo.tools.safe_eval import safe_eval
 
 DEFAULT_ENDPOINT = 'https://iap-snailmail.odoo.com'
@@ -342,7 +343,14 @@ class SnailmailLetter(models.Model):
         endpoint = self.env['ir.config_parameter'].sudo().get_param('snailmail.endpoint', DEFAULT_ENDPOINT)
         timeout = int(self.env['ir.config_parameter'].sudo().get_param('snailmail.timeout', DEFAULT_TIMEOUT))
         params = self._snailmail_create('print')
-        response = iap_tools.iap_jsonrpc(endpoint + PRINT_ENDPOINT, params=params, timeout=timeout)
+        try:
+            response = iap_tools.iap_jsonrpc(endpoint + PRINT_ENDPOINT, params=params, timeout=timeout)
+        except AccessError as ae:
+            for doc in params['documents']:
+                letter = self.browse(doc['letter_id'])
+                letter.state = 'error'
+                letter.error_code = 'UNKNOWN_ERROR'
+            raise ae
         for doc in response['request']['documents']:
             if doc.get('sent') and response['request_code'] == 200:
                 self.env['iap.account']._send_iap_bus_notification(