diff --git a/routing/mock_test.go b/routing/mock_test.go
index f47a9420..9645f73b 100644
--- a/routing/mock_test.go
+++ b/routing/mock_test.go
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func (m *mockPaymentSession) RequestRoute(_, _ lnwire.MilliSatoshi,
 	_, height uint32) (*route.Route, error) {
 
 	if len(m.routes) == 0 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no routes")
+		return nil, errNoPathFound
 	}
 
 	r := m.routes[0]
diff --git a/routing/pathfind.go b/routing/pathfind.go
index 549d3416..1365958c 100644
--- a/routing/pathfind.go
+++ b/routing/pathfind.go
@@ -58,24 +58,6 @@ var (
 	// DefaultAprioriHopProbability is the default a priori probability for
 	// a hop.
 	DefaultAprioriHopProbability = float64(0.6)
-
-	// errNoTlvPayload is returned when the destination hop does not support
-	// a tlv payload.
-	errNoTlvPayload = errors.New("destination hop doesn't " +
-		"understand new TLV payloads")
-
-	// errNoPaymentAddr is returned when the destination hop does not
-	// support payment addresses.
-	errNoPaymentAddr = errors.New("destination hop doesn't " +
-		"understand payment addresses")
-
-	// errNoPathFound is returned when a path to the target destination does
-	// not exist in the graph.
-	errNoPathFound = errors.New("unable to find a path to destination")
-
-	// errInsufficientLocalBalance is returned when none of the local
-	// channels have enough balance for the payment.
-	errInsufficientBalance = errors.New("insufficient local balance")
 )
 
 // edgePolicyWithSource is a helper struct to keep track of the source node
diff --git a/routing/payment_lifecycle.go b/routing/payment_lifecycle.go
index 3a0eb75b..6ac79400 100644
--- a/routing/payment_lifecycle.go
+++ b/routing/payment_lifecycle.go
@@ -210,11 +210,16 @@ func (p *paymentLifecycle) resumePayment() ([32]byte, *route.Route, error) {
 			log.Warnf("Failed to find route for payment %x: %v",
 				p.paymentHash, err)
 
+			routeErr, ok := err.(noRouteError)
+			if !ok {
+				return [32]byte{}, nil, err
+			}
+
 			// There is no route to try, and we have no active
 			// shards. This means that there is no way for us to
 			// send the payment, so mark it failed with no route.
 			if state.numShardsInFlight == 0 {
-				failureCode := errorToPaymentFailure(err)
+				failureCode := routeErr.FailureReason()
 				log.Debugf("Marking payment %v permanently "+
 					"failed with no route: %v",
 					p.paymentHash, failureCode)
@@ -570,25 +575,6 @@ func (p *shardHandler) collectResult(attempt *channeldb.HTLCAttemptInfo) (
 	}, nil
 }
 
-// errorToPaymentFailure takes a path finding error and converts it into a
-// payment-level failure.
-func errorToPaymentFailure(err error) channeldb.FailureReason {
-	switch err {
-	case
-		errNoTlvPayload,
-		errNoPaymentAddr,
-		errNoPathFound,
-		errEmptyPaySession:
-
-		return channeldb.FailureReasonNoRoute
-
-	case errInsufficientBalance:
-		return channeldb.FailureReasonInsufficientBalance
-	}
-
-	return channeldb.FailureReasonError
-}
-
 // createNewPaymentAttempt creates a new payment attempt from the given route.
 func (p *shardHandler) createNewPaymentAttempt(rt *route.Route) (
 	lnwire.ShortChannelID, *lnwire.UpdateAddHTLC,
diff --git a/routing/payment_session.go b/routing/payment_session.go
index f8c29755..6a597ff0 100644
--- a/routing/payment_session.go
+++ b/routing/payment_session.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package routing
 
 import (
-	"errors"
-
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/channeldb"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwire"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing/route"
@@ -12,12 +10,73 @@ import (
 // to prevent an HTLC being failed if some blocks are mined while it's in-flight.
 const BlockPadding uint16 = 3
 
-var (
+// noRouteError encodes a non-critical error encountered during path finding.
+type noRouteError uint8
+
+const (
+	// errNoTlvPayload is returned when the destination hop does not support
+	// a tlv payload.
+	errNoTlvPayload noRouteError = iota
+
+	// errNoPaymentAddr is returned when the destination hop does not
+	// support payment addresses.
+	errNoPaymentAddr
+
+	// errNoPathFound is returned when a path to the target destination does
+	// not exist in the graph.
+	errNoPathFound
+
+	// errInsufficientLocalBalance is returned when none of the local
+	// channels have enough balance for the payment.
+	errInsufficientBalance
+
 	// errEmptyPaySession is returned when the empty payment session is
 	// queried for a route.
-	errEmptyPaySession = errors.New("empty payment session")
+	errEmptyPaySession
 )
 
+// Error returns the string representation of the noRouteError
+func (e noRouteError) Error() string {
+	switch e {
+	case errNoTlvPayload:
+		return "destination hop doesn't understand new TLV payloads"
+
+	case errNoPaymentAddr:
+		return "destination hop doesn't understand payment addresses"
+
+	case errNoPathFound:
+		return "unable to find a path to destination"
+
+	case errEmptyPaySession:
+		return "empty payment session"
+
+	case errInsufficientBalance:
+		return "insufficient local balance"
+
+	default:
+		return "unknown no-route error"
+	}
+}
+
+// FailureReason converts a path finding error into a payment-level failure.
+func (e noRouteError) FailureReason() channeldb.FailureReason {
+	switch e {
+	case
+		errNoTlvPayload,
+		errNoPaymentAddr,
+		errNoPathFound,
+		errEmptyPaySession:
+
+		return channeldb.FailureReasonNoRoute
+
+	case errInsufficientBalance:
+		return channeldb.FailureReasonInsufficientBalance
+
+	default:
+		return channeldb.FailureReasonError
+	}
+}
+
 // PaymentSession is used during SendPayment attempts to provide routes to
 // attempt. It also defines methods to give the PaymentSession additional
 // information learned during the previous attempts.
@@ -29,6 +88,9 @@ type PaymentSession interface {
 	// argument should be set to instruct the payment session about the
 	// number of in flight HTLCS for the payment, such that it can choose
 	// splitting strategy accordingly.
+	//
+	// A noRouteError is returned if a non-critical error is encountered
+	// during path finding.
 	RequestRoute(maxAmt, feeLimit lnwire.MilliSatoshi,
 		activeShards, height uint32) (*route.Route, error)
 }