diff --git a/lnbits/core/services.py b/lnbits/core/services.py
index 8c782b86..5322de77 100644
--- a/lnbits/core/services.py
+++ b/lnbits/core/services.py
@@ -174,12 +174,17 @@ async def pay_invoice(
             logger.debug(f"creating temporary payment with id {temp_id}")
             # create a temporary payment here so we can check if
             # the balance is enough in the next step
-            await create_payment(
-                checking_id=temp_id,
-                fee=-fee_reserve_msat,
-                conn=conn,
-                **payment_kwargs,
-            )
+            try:
+                await create_payment(
+                    checking_id=temp_id,
+                    fee=-fee_reserve_msat,
+                    conn=conn,
+                    **payment_kwargs,
+                )
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.error(f"could not create temporary payment: {e}")
+                # happens if the same wallet tries to pay an invoice twice
+                raise PaymentFailure("Could not make payment.")
 
         # do the balance check
         wallet = await get_wallet(wallet_id, conn=conn)