diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/courseware_api/tests/test_views.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/courseware_api/tests/test_views.py
index af03e6ecd6..0d560fd6cd 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/courseware_api/tests/test_views.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/courseware_api/tests/test_views.py
@@ -421,6 +421,11 @@ class SequenceApiTestViews(MasqueradeMixin, BaseCoursewareTests):
         assert response.data['display_name'] == 'sequence'
         assert len(response.data['items']) == 1
 
+    def test_unit_error(self):
+        """Verify that we return a proper error when passed a non-sequence"""
+        response = self.client.get(f'/api/courseware/sequence/{self.unit.location}')
+        assert response.status_code == 422
+
     @ddt.data(
         (False, None, False, False),
         (True, None, True, False),
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/courseware_api/views.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/courseware_api/views.py
index d92d134860..a5dc501194 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/courseware_api/views.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/courseware_api/views.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from edx_rest_framework_extensions.auth.jwt.authentication import JwtAuthenticat
 from edx_rest_framework_extensions.auth.session.authentication import SessionAuthenticationAllowInactiveUser
 from opaque_keys import InvalidKeyError
 from opaque_keys.edx.keys import CourseKey, UsageKey
+from rest_framework import status
 from rest_framework.exceptions import NotFound
 from rest_framework.generics import RetrieveAPIView
 from rest_framework.permissions import IsAuthenticated
@@ -580,7 +581,8 @@ class SequenceMetadata(DeveloperErrorViewMixin, APIView):
         * 400 if an invalid parameter was sent.
         * 403 if a user who does not have permission to masquerade as
           another user specifies a username other than their own.
-        * 404 if the course is not available or cannot be seen.
+        * 404 if the course/usage_key is not available or cannot be seen.
+        * 422 if the usage key is valid but does not have sequence metadata (like a unit or a problem)
     """
 
     authentication_classes = (
@@ -611,6 +613,10 @@ class SequenceMetadata(DeveloperErrorViewMixin, APIView):
             disable_staff_debug_info=True,
             will_recheck_access=True)
 
+        if not hasattr(sequence, 'get_metadata'):
+            # Looks like we were asked for metadata on something that is not a sequence (or section).
+            return Response(status=status.HTTP_422_UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY)
+
         view = STUDENT_VIEW
         if request.user.is_anonymous:
             view = PUBLIC_VIEW