diff --git a/dspace-spring-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestController.java b/dspace-spring-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestController.java
index d5f32ef4ea..b97c6ef216 100644
--- a/dspace-spring-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestController.java
+++ b/dspace-spring-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestController.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import org.dspace.content.service.ItemService;
 import org.dspace.core.Constants;
 import org.dspace.core.Context;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired;
+import org.springframework.data.rest.webmvc.ResourceNotFoundException;
 import org.springframework.security.access.prepost.PostAuthorize;
 import org.springframework.security.access.prepost.PreAuthorize;
 import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.PathVariable;
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ public class ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestController {
     @Autowired
     CollectionConverter converter;
 
-    @RequestMapping(method = RequestMethod.POST, value = "/{targetUuid}")
+    @RequestMapping(method = RequestMethod.PUT, value = "/{targetUuid}")
     @PreAuthorize("hasPermission(#itemUuid, 'ITEM','WRITE') && hasPermission(#targetUuid,'COLLECTION','ADD')")
     @PostAuthorize("returnObject != null")
     public CollectionRest move(@PathVariable UUID itemUuid, HttpServletResponse response,
@@ -81,6 +82,10 @@ public class ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestController {
 
         Item item = itemService.find(context, itemUuid);
 
+        if (item == null) {
+            throw new ResourceNotFoundException("Item with id: " + itemUuid + " not found");
+        }
+
         Collection currentCollection = item.getOwningCollection();
 
         if (authorizeService.authorizeActionBoolean(context, currentCollection, Constants.ADMIN)) {
diff --git a/dspace-spring-rest/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT.java b/dspace-spring-rest/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT.java
index 3018d1a5c9..99a5e86cf4 100644
--- a/dspace-spring-rest/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT.java
+++ b/dspace-spring-rest/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/rest/ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT.java
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ package org.dspace.app.rest;
 
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.is;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilders.get;
-import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilders.post;
+import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.request.MockMvcRequestBuilders.put;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.result.MockMvcResultMatchers.jsonPath;
 import static org.springframework.test.web.servlet.result.MockMvcResultMatchers.status;
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public class ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT extends AbstractControll
 
 
         //When we call this owningCollection/move endpoint
-        getClient().perform(post("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
+        getClient().perform(put("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
                                          + col2.getID()))
 
                    //We expect a 401 Unauthorized status when performed by anonymous
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public class ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT extends AbstractControll
 
         //When we call this owningCollection/move endpoint
         getClient(token)
-                .perform(post("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
+                .perform(put("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
                                       + col2.getID()))
 
                 //We expect a 401 Unauthorized status when performed by anonymous
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ public class ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT extends AbstractControll
         String token = getAuthToken(itemMoveEperson.getEmail(), "test");
 
         getClient(token)
-                .perform(post("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
+                .perform(put("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
                                       + col2.getID()))
 
                 //We expect a 401 Unauthorized status when performed by anonymous
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ public class ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT extends AbstractControll
 
         String token = getAuthToken(itemMoveEperson.getEmail(), "test");
 
-        getClient(token).perform(post("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
+        getClient(token).perform(put("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
                                               + col2.getID()))
 
                         //We expect a 401 Unauthorized status when performed by anonymous
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ public class ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT extends AbstractControll
 
         String token = getAuthToken(itemMoveEperson.getEmail(), "test");
 
-        getClient(token).perform(post("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
+        getClient(token).perform(put("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
                                               + col2.getID()))
 
                         //We expect a 401 Unauthorized status when performed by anonymous
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ public class ItemOwningCollectionUpdateRestControllerIT extends AbstractControll
 
         String token = getAuthToken(itemMoveEperson.getEmail(), "test");
 
-        getClient(token).perform(post("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
+        getClient(token).perform(put("/api/core/items/" + publicItem1.getID() + "/owningCollection/move/"
                                               + col2.getID()))
 
                         //We expect a 401 Unauthorized status when performed by anonymous