diff --git a/influxdb_iox/tests/end_to_end_cases/router_api.rs b/influxdb_iox/tests/end_to_end_cases/router_api.rs
index 0e8675287c..0bb3620434 100644
--- a/influxdb_iox/tests/end_to_end_cases/router_api.rs
+++ b/influxdb_iox/tests/end_to_end_cases/router_api.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-use influxdb_iox_client::router::generated_types::{QuerySinks, Router};
+use influxdb_iox_client::router::{
+    generated_types::{Matcher, MatcherToShard, QuerySinks, Router, ShardConfig},
+    UpdateRouterError,
+};
+use test_helpers::assert_error;
 
 use crate::{
     common::server_fixture::{ServerFixture, ServerType},
@@ -7,7 +11,7 @@ use crate::{
 
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn test_router_crud() {
-    let server_fixture = ServerFixture::create_shared(ServerType::Router).await;
+    let server_fixture = ServerFixture::create_single_use(ServerType::Router).await;
     let mut client = server_fixture.router_client();
 
     let router_name_a = rand_name();
@@ -65,3 +69,44 @@ async fn test_router_crud() {
     assert_eq!(&routers[0], &cfg_bar);
     client.delete_router(&router_name_b).await.unwrap();
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_router_update_invalid_argument() {
+    let server_fixture = ServerFixture::create_single_use(ServerType::Router).await;
+    let mut client = server_fixture.router_client();
+
+    let router_name = rand_name();
+
+    let cfg_valid = Router {
+        name: router_name.clone(),
+        write_sharder: Default::default(),
+        write_sinks: Default::default(),
+        query_sinks: Default::default(),
+    };
+    let cfg_invalid = Router {
+        write_sharder: Some(ShardConfig {
+            specific_targets: vec![MatcherToShard {
+                matcher: Some(Matcher {
+                    table_name_regex: "*".to_owned(),
+                }),
+                shard: 1,
+            }],
+            hash_ring: None,
+        }),
+        ..cfg_valid.clone()
+    };
+
+    // invalid args don't create routers
+    let res = client.update_router(cfg_invalid.clone()).await;
+    assert_error!(res, UpdateRouterError::InvalidArgument(_));
+    let routers = client.list_routers().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(routers.len(), 0);
+
+    // invalid args don't update routesr
+    client.update_router(cfg_valid.clone()).await.unwrap();
+    let res = client.update_router(cfg_invalid).await;
+    assert_error!(res, UpdateRouterError::InvalidArgument(_));
+    let routers = client.list_routers().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(routers.len(), 1);
+    assert_eq!(&routers[0], &cfg_valid);
+}
diff --git a/influxdb_iox_client/src/client/router.rs b/influxdb_iox_client/src/client/router.rs
index d58189be97..bd5df95733 100644
--- a/influxdb_iox_client/src/client/router.rs
+++ b/influxdb_iox_client/src/client/router.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ pub mod generated_types {
 /// Errors returned by Client::list_routers
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum ListRoutersError {
+    /// Server indicated that it is not (yet) available
+    #[error("Server unavailable: {}", .0.message())]
+    Unavailable(tonic::Status),
+
     /// Client received an unexpected error from the server
     #[error("Unexpected server error: {}: {}", .0.code(), .0.message())]
     ServerError(tonic::Status),
@@ -21,6 +25,14 @@ pub enum ListRoutersError {
 /// Errors returned by Client::update_router
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum UpdateRouterError {
+    /// Server indicated that it is not (yet) available
+    #[error("Server unavailable: {}", .0.message())]
+    Unavailable(tonic::Status),
+
+    /// Server returned an invalid argument error
+    #[error("Invalid argument: {}", .0.message())]
+    InvalidArgument(tonic::Status),
+
     /// Client received an unexpected error from the server
     #[error("Unexpected server error: {}: {}", .0.code(), .0.message())]
     ServerError(tonic::Status),
@@ -29,6 +41,10 @@ pub enum UpdateRouterError {
 /// Errors returned by Client::delete_router
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
 pub enum DeleteRouterError {
+    /// Server indicated that it is not (yet) available
+    #[error("Server unavailable: {}", .0.message())]
+    Unavailable(tonic::Status),
+
     /// Client received an unexpected error from the server
     #[error("Unexpected server error: {}: {}", .0.code(), .0.message())]
     ServerError(tonic::Status),
@@ -80,7 +96,11 @@ impl Client {
             .inner
             .list_routers(ListRoutersRequest {})
             .await
-            .map_err(ListRoutersError::ServerError)?;
+            .map_err(|status| match status.code() {
+                tonic::Code::Unavailable => ListRoutersError::Unavailable(status),
+                _ => ListRoutersError::ServerError(status),
+            })?;
+
         Ok(response.into_inner().routers)
     }
 
@@ -94,18 +114,27 @@ impl Client {
                 router: Some(config),
             })
             .await
-            .map_err(UpdateRouterError::ServerError)?;
+            .map_err(|status| match status.code() {
+                tonic::Code::Unavailable => UpdateRouterError::Unavailable(status),
+                tonic::Code::InvalidArgument => UpdateRouterError::InvalidArgument(status),
+                _ => UpdateRouterError::ServerError(status),
+            })?;
+
         Ok(())
     }
 
     /// Delete router
-    pub async fn delete_router(&mut self, router_name: &str) -> Result<(), UpdateRouterError> {
+    pub async fn delete_router(&mut self, router_name: &str) -> Result<(), DeleteRouterError> {
         self.inner
             .delete_router(DeleteRouterRequest {
                 router_name: router_name.to_string(),
             })
             .await
-            .map_err(UpdateRouterError::ServerError)?;
+            .map_err(|status| match status.code() {
+                tonic::Code::Unavailable => DeleteRouterError::Unavailable(status),
+                _ => DeleteRouterError::ServerError(status),
+            })?;
+
         Ok(())
     }
 }