tarfu.conf

# this vhost config sends my custom 404 page on not-found errors. but the `return 503` causes nginx
# to send its own built-in error page. why is that? how to change this config so it sends my 503.html?

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name tarfu.example.com;
    root /var/www/v2/doc_root/web;
    if ($maintenance = 1) {
        return 503;
    }

    error_page 400 /error_pages/400.html;
    error_page 403 /error_pages/403.html;
    error_page 404 /error_pages/404.html;
    error_page 503 /error_pages/503.html;
    error_page 500 501 502 504 /error_pages/500.html;
    location ^~ /error_pages/ {
        root /var/www;
        internal;
    }
}