diff --git a/dspace-spring-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RestResourceController.java b/dspace-spring-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RestResourceController.java
index a4b8f64e91..51d146ec43 100644
--- a/dspace-spring-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RestResourceController.java
+++ b/dspace-spring-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/RestResourceController.java
@@ -932,11 +932,7 @@ public class RestResourceController implements InitializingBean {
             result = assembler.toResource(resources, link);
         } else {
             if (searchResult == null) {
-                try {
-                    response.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_NOT_FOUND);
-                } catch (IOException e) {
-                    throw new RuntimeException(e.getMessage(), e);
-                }
+                response.setStatus(HttpServletResponse.SC_NO_CONTENT);
                 return null;
             }
             DSpaceResource<T> dsResource = repository.wrapResource((T) searchResult);
diff --git a/dspace-spring-rest/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/EPersonRestRepositoryIT.java b/dspace-spring-rest/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/EPersonRestRepositoryIT.java
index ab84107706..c7aef88e84 100644
--- a/dspace-spring-rest/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/EPersonRestRepositoryIT.java
+++ b/dspace-spring-rest/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/EPersonRestRepositoryIT.java
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ public class EPersonRestRepositoryIT extends AbstractControllerIntegrationTest {
         String authToken = getAuthToken(admin.getEmail(), password);
         getClient(authToken).perform(get("/api/eperson/epersons/search/byEmail")
                 .param("email", "undefined@undefined.com"))
-                .andExpect(status().isNotFound());
+                .andExpect(status().isNoContent());
     }
 
     @Test