diff --git a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/TechDocsReaderPage/TechDocsReaderPage.test.tsx b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/TechDocsReaderPage/TechDocsReaderPage.test.tsx
index 93f24e9f97..c645d1db83 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/TechDocsReaderPage/TechDocsReaderPage.test.tsx
+++ b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/TechDocsReaderPage/TechDocsReaderPage.test.tsx
@@ -413,5 +413,30 @@ describe('<TechDocsReaderPage />', () => {
       expect(rendered.container.querySelector('article')).toBeInTheDocument();
       expect(mockNavigate).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
+
+    it('should render normally when catalog API throws an error', async () => {
+      catalogApiMock.getEntityByRef.mockRejectedValue(
+        new Error('Catalog API error'),
+      );
+
+      const rendered = await renderInTestApp(
+        <Wrapper>
+          <TechDocsReaderPage
+            entityRef={{
+              name: 'test-name',
+              namespace: 'test-namespace',
+              kind: 'test-kind',
+            }}
+          />
+        </Wrapper>,
+        {
+          mountedRoutes,
+        },
+      );
+
+      expect(rendered.container.querySelector('header')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(rendered.container.querySelector('article')).toBeInTheDocument();
+      expect(mockNavigate).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
   });
 });
diff --git a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/TechDocsReaderPage/TechDocsReaderPage.tsx b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/TechDocsReaderPage/TechDocsReaderPage.tsx
index 9b4999899d..c67660fd79 100644
--- a/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/TechDocsReaderPage/TechDocsReaderPage.tsx
+++ b/plugins/techdocs/src/reader/components/TechDocsReaderPage/TechDocsReaderPage.tsx
@@ -215,10 +215,16 @@ export const TechDocsReaderPage = (props: TechDocsReaderPageProps) => {
   );
 
   const externalEntityTechDocsUrl = useAsync(async () => {
-    const catalogEntity = await catalogApi.getEntityByRef(memoizedEntityRef);
+    try {
+      const catalogEntity = await catalogApi.getEntityByRef(memoizedEntityRef);
 
-    if (catalogEntity?.metadata?.annotations?.[TECHDOCS_EXTERNAL_ANNOTATION]) {
-      return buildTechDocsURL(catalogEntity, viewTechdocLink);
+      if (
+        catalogEntity?.metadata?.annotations?.[TECHDOCS_EXTERNAL_ANNOTATION]
+      ) {
+        return buildTechDocsURL(catalogEntity, viewTechdocLink);
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      // Ignore error and allow an attempt at loading the current entity's TechDocs when unable to fetch an external entity from the catalog.
     }
 
     return undefined;