diff --git a/src/integration/blockchain/shared/util/blockchain-client.ts b/src/integration/blockchain/shared/util/blockchain-client.ts
index b0809a4834..fd63f3117d 100644
--- a/src/integration/blockchain/shared/util/blockchain-client.ts
+++ b/src/integration/blockchain/shared/util/blockchain-client.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ export interface CoinOnly {
 }
 
 export abstract class BlockchainClient {
+  // clients whose provider needs optional config (e.g. an API key) override this
+  get isConfigured(): boolean {
+    return true;
+  }
+
   abstract get walletAddress(): string;
   abstract getNativeCoinBalance(): Promise<number>;
   abstract getNativeCoinBalanceForAddress(address: string): Promise<number>;
diff --git a/src/integration/blockchain/solana/solana-client.ts b/src/integration/blockchain/solana/solana-client.ts
index 482166bc1d..c7f256fd20 100644
--- a/src/integration/blockchain/solana/solana-client.ts
+++ b/src/integration/blockchain/solana/solana-client.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ export class SolanaClient extends BlockchainClient {
     return this.wallet.address;
   }
 
+  // without a Tatum API key the gateway serves the anonymous tier, which rejects getBalance
+  get isConfigured(): boolean {
+    return !!Config.blockchain.solana.solanaApiKey;
+  }
+
   async getBlockHeight(): Promise<number> {
     return this.connection.getBlockHeight();
   }
diff --git a/src/subdomains/core/payment-link/services/__tests__/payment-balance.service.spec.ts b/src/subdomains/core/payment-link/services/__tests__/payment-balance.service.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..657fff1f6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/subdomains/core/payment-link/services/__tests__/payment-balance.service.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+import { createMock } from '@golevelup/ts-jest';
+import { Test, TestingModule } from '@nestjs/testing';
+import { BitcoinFeeService } from 'src/integration/blockchain/bitcoin/services/bitcoin-fee.service';
+import { Blockchain } from 'src/integration/blockchain/shared/enums/blockchain.enum';
+import { BlockchainRegistryService } from 'src/integration/blockchain/shared/services/blockchain-registry.service';
+import { createCustomAsset } from 'src/shared/models/asset/__mocks__/asset.entity.mock';
+import { AssetType } from 'src/shared/models/asset/asset.entity';
+import { AssetService } from 'src/shared/models/asset/asset.service';
+import { DfxLogger } from 'src/shared/services/dfx-logger';
+import { TestUtil } from 'src/shared/utils/test.util';
+import { PaymentBalanceService } from '../payment-balance.service';
+
+describe('PaymentBalanceService', () => {
+  let service: PaymentBalanceService;
+
+  let assetService: AssetService;
+  let blockchainRegistryService: BlockchainRegistryService;
+  let bitcoinFeeService: BitcoinFeeService;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    assetService = createMock<AssetService>();
+    blockchainRegistryService = createMock<BlockchainRegistryService>();
+    bitcoinFeeService = createMock<BitcoinFeeService>();
+
+    const module: TestingModule = await Test.createTestingModule({
+      providers: [
+        PaymentBalanceService,
+        { provide: AssetService, useValue: assetService },
+        { provide: BlockchainRegistryService, useValue: blockchainRegistryService },
+        { provide: BitcoinFeeService, useValue: bitcoinFeeService },
+        TestUtil.provideConfig(),
+      ],
+    }).compile();
+
+    service = module.get<PaymentBalanceService>(PaymentBalanceService);
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => jest.restoreAllMocks());
+
+  const solanaCoin = () =>
+    createCustomAsset({
+      id: 1,
+      blockchain: Blockchain.SOLANA,
+      type: AssetType.COIN,
+      paymentEnabled: true,
+      chainId: 'So11111111111111111111111111111111111111112',
+    });
+
+  describe('#getPaymentBalances', () => {
+    it('skips an unconfigured client with a single warning and no error', async () => {
+      const warnSpy = jest.spyOn(DfxLogger.prototype, 'warn').mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+      const errorSpy = jest.spyOn(DfxLogger.prototype, 'error').mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+      const getBalance = jest.fn();
+      jest
+        .spyOn(blockchainRegistryService, 'getClient')
+        .mockReturnValue({ isConfigured: false, getNativeCoinBalanceForAddress: getBalance } as any);
+
+      const first = await service.getPaymentBalances([solanaCoin()], true);
+      const second = await service.getPaymentBalances([solanaCoin()], true);
+
+      expect(first.size).toBe(0);
+      expect(second.size).toBe(0);
+      expect(getBalance).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(errorSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(warnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(warnSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining('Solana'));
+    });
+
+    it('fetches balances from a configured client', async () => {
+      jest.spyOn(blockchainRegistryService, 'getClient').mockReturnValue({
+        isConfigured: true,
+        getNativeCoinBalanceForAddress: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(1.5),
+        getTokenBalances: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue([]),
+      } as any);
+      service['solanaDepositAddress'] = 'SolTestDepositAddress';
+
+      const balances = await service.getPaymentBalances([solanaCoin()], true);
+
+      expect(balances.get(1)).toEqual({
+        owner: 'SolTestDepositAddress',
+        contractAddress: 'So11111111111111111111111111111111111111112',
+        balance: 1.5,
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('keeps a failing configured client visible as an error', async () => {
+      const warnSpy = jest.spyOn(DfxLogger.prototype, 'warn').mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+      const errorSpy = jest.spyOn(DfxLogger.prototype, 'error').mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+      jest.spyOn(blockchainRegistryService, 'getClient').mockReturnValue({
+        isConfigured: true,
+        getNativeCoinBalanceForAddress: jest.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error('getBalance rejected')),
+      } as any);
+      service['solanaDepositAddress'] = 'SolTestDepositAddress';
+
+      await expect(service.getPaymentBalances([solanaCoin()], false)).rejects.toThrow('getBalance rejected');
+
+      const balances = await service.getPaymentBalances([solanaCoin()], true);
+
+      expect(balances.size).toBe(0);
+      expect(warnSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(errorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(errorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining('Solana'), expect.any(Error));
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/subdomains/core/payment-link/services/payment-balance.service.ts b/src/subdomains/core/payment-link/services/payment-balance.service.ts
index 186bf3cf23..7d1aec0b67 100644
--- a/src/subdomains/core/payment-link/services/payment-balance.service.ts
+++ b/src/subdomains/core/payment-link/services/payment-balance.service.ts
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ export class PaymentBalanceService implements OnModuleInit {
     await Promise.all(
       groupedAssets.map(async ([chain, assets]) => {
         const client = this.blockchainRegistryService.getClient(chain);
-        if (!client) {
+        if (!client || !client.isConfigured) {
           if (!this.unavailableWarningsLogged.has(chain)) {
             this.logger.warn(`Blockchain client not configured for ${chain} - skipping payment balance`);
             this.unavailableWarningsLogged.add(chain);