diff --git a/docs/api/routes/category/delete.md b/docs/api/routes/category/delete.md
index 8667d3f..2252d9b 100644
--- a/docs/api/routes/category/delete.md
+++ b/docs/api/routes/category/delete.md
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ _No content_
 | 400 | Invalid id or cannot delete root — `{"error":"…"}` |
 | 401 | Unauthorized — `{"error":"…"}` |
 | 403 | Not authorized — `{"error":"…"}` |
+| 404 | Category not found — `{"error":"…"}` |
+| 409 | Category has articles or subcategories — `{"error":"…"}` |
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/src/api/routes/article.js b/src/api/routes/article.js
index 198cd80..176fd80 100644
--- a/src/api/routes/article.js
+++ b/src/api/routes/article.js
@@ -54,7 +54,12 @@ function articleErrorStatus(error) {
     if (error.message === 'Unsupported image format' || error.message?.includes('unsupported image format')) return 400;
     if (error.message === 'Not authorized') return 403;
     if (error.message === 'Parent not found') return 404;
-    if (error.message === 'Article not found') return 404;
+    if (
+        error.message === 'Article not found' ||
+        error.message?.startsWith('Article not found') ||
+        error.message?.startsWith('Component article not found') ||
+        error.message?.startsWith('Option article not found')
+    ) return 404;
     if (error.message === 'Image not found') return 404;
     if (error.message === 'Name required') return 400;
     if (error.message === 'Invalid image order') return 400;
@@ -86,13 +91,17 @@ function articleErrorStatus(error) {
     if (error.message === 'Father article not found') return 404;
     if (
         error.message?.includes('Stückliste') ||
-        error.message?.includes('options') ||
-        error.message?.includes('option') ||
+        error.message?.toLowerCase().includes('option') ||
+        error.message?.includes('Item at index') ||
+        error.message?.includes('Option at index') ||
         error.message?.includes('Invalid items array') ||
         error.message?.includes('Invalid options array') ||
         error.message?.includes('Invalid count') ||
+        error.message?.includes('Invalid sort') ||
+        error.message?.includes('Invalid mandated') ||
         error.message?.includes('circular') ||
-        error.message?.includes('Circular')
+        error.message?.includes('Circular') ||
+        error.message?.includes('Duplicate article')
     ) return 400;
     return 500;
 }
diff --git a/src/api/routes/category.js b/src/api/routes/category.js
index 54ec93c..3be3b16 100644
--- a/src/api/routes/category.js
+++ b/src/api/routes/category.js
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ function categoryErrorStatus(error) {
     if (error.message === 'Image not found') return 404;
     if (error.message === 'Invalid category order') return 400;
     if (error.message === 'Invalid parent') return 400;
+    if (
+        error.message === 'Category has articles' ||
+        error.message === 'Category has subcategories' ||
+        error.message === 'Category is assigned to POS terminals' ||
+        error.message?.includes('FOREIGN KEY constraint failed') ||
+        error.message?.includes('foreign key constraint') ||
+        error.message?.includes('REFERENCE constraint')
+    ) return 409;
     return 500;
 }
 
@@ -519,6 +527,18 @@ export function register(app, basePath = '') {
      *           application/json:
      *             schema:
      *               $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
+     *       404:
+     *         description: Category not found
+     *         content:
+     *           application/json:
+     *             schema:
+     *               $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
+     *       409:
+     *         description: Category has articles or subcategories
+     *         content:
+     *           application/json:
+     *             schema:
+     *               $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error'
      */
     app.delete(`${basePath}/category/:id`, async (req, res) => {
         const parsed = parsePositiveInt(req.params.id, 'id');