diff --git a/bigchaindb/tendermint/lib.py b/bigchaindb/tendermint/lib.py
index 5a7713a1..a48cfa25 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/tendermint/lib.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/tendermint/lib.py
@@ -253,8 +253,9 @@ class BigchainDB(Bigchain):
 
             return validators
 
-        except Exception:
-            raise Exception('Error while processing data from tendermint.')
+        except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
+            logger.error('Error while connecting to Tendermint HTTP API')
+            raise e
 
 
 Block = namedtuple('Block', ('app_hash', 'height', 'transactions'))
diff --git a/bigchaindb/web/views/validators.py b/bigchaindb/web/views/validators.py
index 4afb46bc..825b0c7d 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/web/views/validators.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/web/views/validators.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 from flask import current_app
 from flask_restful import Resource
 
-from bigchaindb.web.views.base import make_error
-
 
 class ValidatorsApi(Resource):
     def get(self):
@@ -14,11 +12,7 @@ class ValidatorsApi(Resource):
 
         pool = current_app.config['bigchain_pool']
 
-        try:
-            with pool() as bigchain:
-                validators = bigchain.get_validators()
+        with pool() as bigchain:
+            validators = bigchain.get_validators()
 
-            return validators
-
-        except Exception:
-            return make_error(500)
+        return validators
diff --git a/tests/web/test_validators.py b/tests/web/test_validators.py
index d71e30a9..7a0e20ce 100644
--- a/tests/web/test_validators.py
+++ b/tests/web/test_validators.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import pytest
 
+from requests.exceptions import RequestException
+
 pytestmark = pytest.mark.tendermint
 
 VALIDATORS_ENDPOINT = '/api/v1/validators/'
@@ -20,11 +22,11 @@ def test_get_validators_endpoint(b, client, monkeypatch):
 def test_get_validators_500_endpoint(b, client, monkeypatch):
 
     def mock_get(uri):
-        return 'InvalidResponse'
+        raise RequestException
     monkeypatch.setattr('requests.get', mock_get)
 
-    res = client.get(VALIDATORS_ENDPOINT)
-    assert res.status_code == 500
+    with pytest.raises(RequestException):
+        client.get(VALIDATORS_ENDPOINT)
 
 
 # Helper