diff --git a/api/src/routes/checkout.ts b/api/src/routes/checkout.ts
index 8f8c2ea..69e9693 100644
--- a/api/src/routes/checkout.ts
+++ b/api/src/routes/checkout.ts
@@ -348,6 +348,27 @@ export async function ensureComplianceSalesOrder(
     custom_surcharge_pct: surchargePct,
     workflow_state: "Received",
     items: lineItems,
+  }).catch(async (e: unknown) => {
+    // Resilience: if a service's ERPNext Item is missing, the SO would 404.
+    // Retry once with every line item remapped to the generic COMPLIANCE-SERVICE
+    // item so a missing catalog Item never strands a paid order's SO. (The
+    // catalog Item should still be created; this is a safety net.)
+    const msg = String((e as { body?: { _server_messages?: string } })?.body?._server_messages || e);
+    if (/not found/i.test(msg)) {
+      console.warn(`[checkout] SO item missing for ${orderId}, retrying with generic item:`, msg.slice(0, 120));
+      const fallback = lineItems.map(li => ({ ...li, item_code: "COMPLIANCE-SERVICE" }));
+      return createResource("Sales Order", {
+        customer: erpnextCustomer,
+        delivery_date: new Date(Date.now() + 30 * 86400000).toISOString().split("T")[0],
+        custom_external_order_id: orderId,
+        custom_order_type: "compliance",
+        custom_payment_gateway: GATEWAY_LABELS[paymentMethod] || paymentMethod,
+        custom_surcharge_pct: surchargePct,
+        workflow_state: "Received",
+        items: fallback,
+      });
+    }
+    throw e;
   })) as { name: string };
 
   try {