diff --git a/src/embed-image-element.ts b/src/embed-image-element.ts
index 5a71675..4efd8d0 100644
--- a/src/embed-image-element.ts
+++ b/src/embed-image-element.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export function embedImageElement<T extends HTMLImageElement | SVGImageElement>(
         requestType: 'image',
         responseType: 'dataUrl',
       }).then(url => {
-        clone.src = url
+        clone.src = url || ''
       }),
     ]
   } else if (isSVGElementNode(clone) && !isDataUrl(clone.href.baseVal)) {
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export function embedImageElement<T extends HTMLImageElement | SVGImageElement>(
         requestType: 'image',
         responseType: 'dataUrl',
       }).then(url => {
-        clone.href.baseVal = url
+        clone.href.baseVal = url || ''
       }),
     ]
   }
diff --git a/src/fetch.ts b/src/fetch.ts
index 6a6677c..061e29f 100644
--- a/src/fetch.ts
+++ b/src/fetch.ts
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ export function baseFetch(options: BaseFetchOptions): Promise<string> {
     : undefined
 
   return fetch(url, { signal: controller.signal, ...requestInit })
-    .finally(() => clearTimeout(timer))
     .then(response => {
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        throw new Error('Failed fetch, not 2xx response', { cause: response })
+      }
       switch (responseType) {
         case 'dataUrl':
           return response.blob().then(blobToDataUrl)
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ export function baseFetch(options: BaseFetchOptions): Promise<string> {
           return response.text()
       }
     })
+    .finally(() => clearTimeout(timer))
 }
 
 export function contextFetch(context: Context, options: ContextFetchOptions) {
diff --git a/src/options.ts b/src/options.ts
index 2380cf2..53936d7 100644
--- a/src/options.ts
+++ b/src/options.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ export interface Options {
      *
      * default: data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
      */
-    placeholderImage?: string | ((cloned: HTMLImageElement | SVGImageElement) => string)
+    placeholderImage?: string | ((cloned: HTMLImageElement | SVGImageElement) => string | Promise<string>)
   }
 
   /**