diff --git a/src/domains.js b/src/domains.js
index d1697c32f..c66f530d5 100644
--- a/src/domains.js
+++ b/src/domains.js
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ module.exports = exports = {
     del: del,
     isLocked: isLocked,
 
+    renewCerts: renewCerts,
+
     fqdn: fqdn,
     setAdmin: setAdmin,
 
@@ -487,3 +489,16 @@ function makeWildcard(hostname) {
     parts[0] = '*';
     return parts.join('.');
 }
+
+function renewCerts(domain, auditSource, callback) {
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof domain, 'string');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof auditSource, 'object');
+    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
+
+    // trigger renewal in the background
+    reverseProxy.renewCerts({ domain: domain }, auditSource, function (error) {
+        debug('renewCerts', error);
+    });
+
+    callback();
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/domains.js b/src/routes/domains.js
index 8ddd99602..38ee62eb1 100644
--- a/src/routes/domains.js
+++ b/src/routes/domains.js
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
     domains = require('../domains.js'),
     DomainsError = domains.DomainsError,
     HttpError = require('connect-lastmile').HttpError,
-    HttpSuccess = require('connect-lastmile').HttpSuccess,
-    reverseProxy = require('../reverseproxy.js');
+    HttpSuccess = require('connect-lastmile').HttpSuccess;
 
 function auditSource(req) {
     var ip = req.headers['x-forwarded-for'] || req.connection.remoteAddress || null;
@@ -134,8 +133,12 @@ function del(req, res, next) {
 function renewCerts(req, res, next) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof req.params.domain, 'string');
 
-    // trigger renewal in the background
-    reverseProxy.renewCerts({ domain: req.params.domain }, auditSource(req), function () { });
+    domains.renewCerts(req.params.domain, auditSource(req), function (error) {
+        if (error && error.reason === DomainsError.NOT_FOUND) return next(new HttpError(404, error.message));
+        if (error) return next(new HttpError(500, error));
+
+        next(new HttpSuccess(202, {}));
+    });
 
     next(new HttpSuccess(202, {}));
 }