diff --git a/ruma-api-macros/src/api/request.rs b/ruma-api-macros/src/api/request.rs
index 0918849d..483b9c0e 100644
--- a/ruma-api-macros/src/api/request.rs
+++ b/ruma-api-macros/src/api/request.rs
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ impl Request {
             quote! {
                 headers.append(
                     ruma_api::exports::http::header::#header_name,
-                    ruma_api::exports::http::header::HeaderValue::from_str(request.#field_name.as_ref())
-                        .expect("failed to convert value into HeaderValue"),
+                    ruma_api::exports::http::header::HeaderValue::from_str(request.#field_name.as_ref())?,
                 );
             }
         });
diff --git a/ruma-api-macros/src/api/response.rs b/ruma-api-macros/src/api/response.rs
index 3ff77f61..ab450b80 100644
--- a/ruma-api-macros/src/api/response.rs
+++ b/ruma-api-macros/src/api/response.rs
@@ -56,10 +56,12 @@ impl Response {
                 }
                 ResponseField::Header(_, header_name) => {
                     quote_spanned! {span=>
-                        #field_name: headers.remove(ruma_api::exports::http::header::#header_name)
-                            .expect("response missing expected header")
-                            .to_str()
-                            .expect("failed to convert HeaderValue to str")
+                        #field_name: ruma_api::try_deserialize!(
+                            response,
+                            headers.remove(ruma_api::exports::http::header::#header_name)
+                                .expect("response missing expected header")
+                                .to_str()
+                            )
                             .to_owned()
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/ruma-api/src/error.rs b/ruma-api/src/error.rs
index 31233b62..2d7cf6ff 100644
--- a/ruma-api/src/error.rs
+++ b/ruma-api/src/error.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ impl From<ruma_serde::urlencoded::ser::Error> for IntoHttpError {
     }
 }
 
+#[doc(hidden)]
+impl From<http::header::InvalidHeaderValue> for IntoHttpError {
+    fn from(err: http::header::InvalidHeaderValue) -> Self {
+        Self(SerializationError::Header(err))
+    }
+}
+
 impl Display for IntoHttpError {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
         match &self.0 {
@@ -42,6 +49,7 @@ impl Display for IntoHttpError {
             SerializationError::Query(err) => {
                 write!(f, "Query parameter serialization failed: {}", err)
             }
+            SerializationError::Header(err) => write!(f, "Header serialization failed: {}", err),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -196,6 +204,7 @@ impl<E: std::error::Error> std::error::Error for ServerError<E> {}
 enum SerializationError {
     Json(serde_json::Error),
     Query(ruma_serde::urlencoded::ser::Error),
+    Header(http::header::InvalidHeaderValue),
 }
 
 /// This type is public so it is accessible from `ruma_api!` generated code.
@@ -210,6 +219,7 @@ pub enum DeserializationError {
     // String <> Enum conversion failed. This can currently only happen in path
     // segment deserialization
     Strum(strum::ParseError),
+    Header(http::header::ToStrError),
 }
 
 impl Display for DeserializationError {
@@ -220,10 +230,18 @@ impl Display for DeserializationError {
             DeserializationError::Query(err) => Display::fmt(err, f),
             DeserializationError::Ident(err) => Display::fmt(err, f),
             DeserializationError::Strum(err) => Display::fmt(err, f),
+            DeserializationError::Header(err) => Display::fmt(err, f),
         }
     }
 }
 
+#[doc(hidden)]
+impl From<http::header::ToStrError> for DeserializationError {
+    fn from(err: http::header::ToStrError) -> Self {
+        Self::Header(err)
+    }
+}
+
 #[doc(hidden)]
 impl From<std::str::Utf8Error> for DeserializationError {
     fn from(err: std::str::Utf8Error) -> Self {