diff --git a/internal/daemon/controller/handlers/authmethods/oidc.go b/internal/daemon/controller/handlers/authmethods/oidc.go
index 1285c28332..853fc743b9 100644
--- a/internal/daemon/controller/handlers/authmethods/oidc.go
+++ b/internal/daemon/controller/handlers/authmethods/oidc.go
@@ -178,7 +178,14 @@ func (s Service) authenticateOidcStart(ctx context.Context, req *pbs.Authenticat
 	}
 
 	authUrl, tokenId, err := oidc.StartAuth(ctx, s.oidcRepoFn, req.GetAuthMethodId(), opts...)
-	if err != nil {
+	switch {
+	case errors.Match(errors.T(errors.AuthMethodInactive), err):
+		return nil, handlers.ApiErrorWithCodeAndMessage(codes.FailedPrecondition, "Cannot start authentication against an inactive OIDC auth method")
+	case errors.Match(errors.T(errors.RecordNotFound), err):
+		return nil, handlers.ApiErrorWithCodeAndMessage(codes.NotFound, "Auth method %s was not found", req.GetAuthMethodId())
+	case errors.Match(errors.T(errors.InvalidParameter), err):
+		return nil, handlers.ApiErrorWithCodeAndMessage(codes.InvalidArgument, err.Error())
+	case err != nil:
 		event.WriteError(ctx, op, err, event.WithInfoMsg("error starting the oidc authentication flow"))
 		return nil, handlers.ApiErrorWithCodeAndMessage(codes.Internal, "Error generating parameters for starting the OIDC flow. See the controller's log for more information.")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/daemon/controller/handlers/authmethods/oidc_test.go b/internal/daemon/controller/handlers/authmethods/oidc_test.go
index d75e0bdb61..fc79db52a1 100644
--- a/internal/daemon/controller/handlers/authmethods/oidc_test.go
+++ b/internal/daemon/controller/handlers/authmethods/oidc_test.go
@@ -1624,9 +1624,10 @@ func TestAuthenticate_OIDC_Start(t *testing.T) {
 	s := getSetup(t)
 
 	cases := []struct {
-		name    string
-		request *pbs.AuthenticateRequest
-		wantErr error
+		name       string
+		request    *pbs.AuthenticateRequest
+		beforeTest func(t *testing.T)
+		wantErr    error
 	}{
 		{
 			name: "no command",
@@ -1657,6 +1658,57 @@ func TestAuthenticate_OIDC_Start(t *testing.T) {
 				AuthMethodId: s.authMethod.GetPublicId(),
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "auth method does not exist",
+			request: &pbs.AuthenticateRequest{
+				Command:      "start",
+				AuthMethodId: "amoidc_1234",
+				Attrs: &pbs.AuthenticateRequest_OidcStartAttributes{
+					OidcStartAttributes: &pbs.OidcStartAttributes{
+						RoundtripPayload: func() *structpb.Struct {
+							ret, err := structpb.NewStruct(map[string]any{
+								"foo": "bar",
+								"baz": true,
+							})
+							require.NoError(t, err)
+							return ret
+						}(),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantErr: handlers.ApiErrorWithCode(codes.NotFound),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "auth method is inactive",
+			beforeTest: func(t *testing.T) {
+				r, err := s.oidcRepoFn()
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+				_, err = r.MakeInactive(s.ctx, s.authMethod.GetPublicId(), 2)
+				require.NoError(t, err)
+
+				t.Cleanup(func() {
+					_, err = r.MakePublic(s.ctx, s.authMethod.GetPublicId(), 3)
+					require.NoError(t, err)
+				})
+			},
+			request: &pbs.AuthenticateRequest{
+				Command:      "start",
+				AuthMethodId: s.authMethod.GetPublicId(),
+				Attrs: &pbs.AuthenticateRequest_OidcStartAttributes{
+					OidcStartAttributes: &pbs.OidcStartAttributes{
+						RoundtripPayload: func() *structpb.Struct {
+							ret, err := structpb.NewStruct(map[string]any{
+								"foo": "bar",
+								"baz": true,
+							})
+							require.NoError(t, err)
+							return ret
+						}(),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			wantErr: handlers.ApiErrorWithCode(codes.FailedPrecondition),
+		},
 		// NOTE: We can't really test bad roundtrip payload attributes because
 		// any type structpb lets us use in creation will be valid for JSON, and
 		// attempting to force with e.g. json.RawMessage causes structpb to
@@ -1692,6 +1744,10 @@ func TestAuthenticate_OIDC_Start(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if tc.beforeTest != nil {
+				tc.beforeTest(t)
+			}
+
 			assert, require := assert.New(t), require.New(t)
 			got, err := s.authMethodService.Authenticate(auth.DisabledAuthTestContext(s.iamRepoFn, s.org.GetPublicId()), tc.request)
 			if tc.wantErr != nil {