diff --git a/go/core/internal/httpserver/handlers/substrate.go b/go/core/internal/httpserver/handlers/substrate.go
index 3bdc1ff6c..53f57ab3a 100644
--- a/go/core/internal/httpserver/handlers/substrate.go
+++ b/go/core/internal/httpserver/handlers/substrate.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kagent-dev/kagent/go/core/internal/httpserver/errors"
 	"github.com/kagent-dev/kagent/go/core/pkg/auth"
 	"github.com/kagent-dev/kagent/go/core/pkg/sandboxbackend/substrate"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/meta"
 	utilvalidation "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/client"
 	ctrllog "sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/log"
@@ -110,11 +111,19 @@ func (h *SubstrateHandler) listSubstrateCRs(ctx context.Context, namespace strin
 
 	wpList := &atev1alpha1.WorkerPoolList{}
 	if err := h.KubeClient.List(ctx, wpList, listOpts...); err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
+		if meta.IsNoMatchError(err) {
+			ctrllog.FromContext(ctx).V(1).Info("WorkerPool CRD not found, returning empty list", "namespace", namespace)
+		} else {
+			return nil, nil, err
+		}
 	}
 	tmplList := &atev1alpha1.ActorTemplateList{}
 	if err := h.KubeClient.List(ctx, tmplList, listOpts...); err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
+		if meta.IsNoMatchError(err) {
+			ctrllog.FromContext(ctx).V(1).Info("ActorTemplate CRD not found, returning empty list", "namespace", namespace)
+		} else {
+			return nil, nil, err
+		}
 	}
 
 	workerPools := make([]api.SubstrateWorkerPoolEntry, 0, len(wpList.Items))
diff --git a/go/core/internal/httpserver/handlers/substrate_test.go b/go/core/internal/httpserver/handlers/substrate_test.go
index 279ac6401..27b4ab4e5 100644
--- a/go/core/internal/httpserver/handlers/substrate_test.go
+++ b/go/core/internal/httpserver/handlers/substrate_test.go
@@ -139,3 +139,26 @@ func TestHandleGetSubstrateStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, "Running", wrapped.Data.Actors[0].Status)
 	require.Len(t, wrapped.Data.Workers, 1)
 }
+
+func TestHandleGetSubstrateStatus_MissingCRDs(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// Use a client that returns NoKindMatchError for all List calls,
+	// simulating a cluster where the ate.dev CRDs are not installed.
+	base := &handlers.Base{KubeClient: noMatchKubeClient{}, Authorizer: &auth.NoopAuthorizer{}}
+	ate := &substrate.Client{ControlClient: &stubAteControl{}}
+	h := handlers.NewSubstrateHandler(base, ate)
+
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/api/substrate/status?namespace=kagent", nil)
+	req = setUser(req, "test-user")
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	h.HandleGetSubstrateStatus(&testErrorResponseWriter{ResponseWriter: rec}, req)
+
+	require.Equal(t, http.StatusOK, rec.Code)
+
+	var wrapped api.StandardResponse[api.SubstrateStatusResponse]
+	require.NoError(t, json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &wrapped))
+	require.True(t, wrapped.Data.Enabled)
+	require.Empty(t, wrapped.Data.WorkerPools)
+	require.Empty(t, wrapped.Data.ActorTemplates)
+}