diff --git a/packages/iso-web/src/http.js b/packages/iso-web/src/http.js
index e935e2ec..af01c978 100644
--- a/packages/iso-web/src/http.js
+++ b/packages/iso-web/src/http.js
@@ -221,7 +221,9 @@ export async function request(resource, options = {}) {
 
   // validate resource type
   if (typeof resource !== 'string' && !(resource instanceof URL)) {
-    throw new TypeError('`resource` must be a string or URL object')
+    return {
+      error: new RequestError('`resource` must be a string or URL object'),
+    }
   }
 
   const timeoutSignal = AbortSignal.timeout(timeout)
@@ -417,7 +419,6 @@ request.trace = function trace(resource, options = {}) {
 request.json = async function json(resource, options = {}) {
   const { error, result } = await request(resource, {
     ...options,
-    // eslint-disable-next-line unicorn/no-null
     body: null,
     json: options.body,
   })
diff --git a/packages/iso-web/test/request.test.js b/packages/iso-web/test/request.test.js
index bcd1f733..1b3edcb6 100644
--- a/packages/iso-web/test/request.test.js
+++ b/packages/iso-web/test/request.test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { http, HttpResponse, delay } from 'msw'
 import { assert, suite } from 'playwright-test/taps'
-import { HttpError, JsonError, request } from '../src/http.js'
+import { HttpError, JsonError, RequestError, request } from '../src/http.js'
 import { setup } from '../src/msw/msw.js'
 
 const test = suite('request')
@@ -91,6 +91,17 @@ test('should request 500', async () => {
   }
 })
 
+test('should fail with bad resource', async () => {
+  // @ts-expect-error - tests bad resource
+  const { error } = await request(1000)
+
+  if (RequestError.is(error)) {
+    assert.equal(error.message, '`resource` must be a string or URL object')
+  } else {
+    assert.fail('should fail')
+  }
+})
+
 test('should request 501', async () => {
   const { error } = await request('https://local.dev/error?status=501')