diff --git a/config/initializers/session_store.rb b/config/initializers/session_store.rb
index a1c3ab5bbca..47c1fd80942 100644
--- a/config/initializers/session_store.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/session_store.rb
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@
     client: REDIS_SESSION_POOL_WRAPPER,
   },
   on_session_load_error: SessionEncryptorErrorHandler,
+  on_redis_down: proc { |error, _env, _sid| raise error },
   serializer: SessionEncryptor.new,
 )
diff --git a/spec/requests/redis_down_spec.rb b/spec/requests/redis_down_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4bb09437441
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/requests/redis_down_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe 'redis down session error handling' do
+  context 'with bad Redis connection' do
+    it 'fails loudly' do
+      allow(REDIS_SESSION_POOL_WRAPPER).to receive(:setex).and_raise(Redis::CannotConnectError)
+      expect do
+        get forgot_password_path
+      end.to raise_error(Redis::CannotConnectError)
+    end
+  end
+end