diff --git a/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb b/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
index cec809c..76afbf1 100644
--- a/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
+++ b/lib/remote_storage/riak.rb
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ module RemoteStorage
 
       return listing.to_json
     rescue ::Riak::HTTPFailedRequest
-      server.headers["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
-      return "{}"
+      server.halt 404
     end
 
     def put_data(user, directory, key, data, content_type=nil)
diff --git a/spec/directories_spec.rb b/spec/directories_spec.rb
index 3292017..4e290c0 100644
--- a/spec/directories_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/directories_spec.rb
@@ -187,8 +187,7 @@ describe "Directories" do
       it "returns an empty listing" do
         get "/jimmy/documents/notfound/"
 
-        last_response.status.must_equal 200
-        last_response.body.must_equal "{}"
+        last_response.status.must_equal 404
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/permissions_spec.rb b/spec/permissions_spec.rb
index d4f7bbf..8f13a16 100644
--- a/spec/permissions_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/permissions_spec.rb
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ describe "Permissions" do
         it "allows GET requests" do
           get "/jimmy/public/tasks/"
 
-          last_response.status.must_equal 200
+          last_response.status.must_equal 404
         end
 
         it "allows PUT requests" do
@@ -403,19 +403,19 @@ describe "Permissions" do
         end
 
         it "allows GET requests" do
-          get "/jimmy/tasks/"
+          get "/jimmy/public/tasks/"
 
-          last_response.status.must_equal 200
+          last_response.status.must_equal 404
         end
 
         it "disallows PUT requests" do
-          put "/jimmy/tasks/foo", "some text"
+          put "/jimmy/public/tasks/foo", "some text"
 
           last_response.status.must_equal 403
         end
 
         it "disallows DELETE requests" do
-          delete "/jimmy/tasks/hello"
+          delete "/jimmy/public/tasks/hello"
 
           last_response.status.must_equal 403
         end