diff --git a/utils/generateBlurPlaceholder.ts b/utils/generateBlurPlaceholder.ts
index eb1bb01..bb5bfeb 100644
--- a/utils/generateBlurPlaceholder.ts
+++ b/utils/generateBlurPlaceholder.ts
@@ -11,16 +11,10 @@ export default async function getBase64ImageUrl(
   if (url) {
     return url;
   }
-  let buffer: ArrayBuffer;
-  try {
-    const response = await fetch(
-      `https://res.cloudinary.com/${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME}/image/upload/f_jpg,w_8,q_70/${image.public_id}.${image.format}`,
-    );
-    buffer = await response.arrayBuffer();
-  } catch {
-    // DIAG: tolerate offline blur fetch so the page can render locally
-    return "data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==";
-  }
+  const response = await fetch(
+    `https://res.cloudinary.com/${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_CLOUDINARY_CLOUD_NAME}/image/upload/f_jpg,w_8,q_70/${image.public_id}.${image.format}`,
+  );
+  const buffer = await response.arrayBuffer();
   const minified = await imagemin.buffer(Buffer.from(buffer), {
     plugins: [imageminJpegtran()],
   });