diff --git a/api/handlers.go b/api/handlers.go
index 5c8bc0d969..218480d294 100644
--- a/api/handlers.go
+++ b/api/handlers.go
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ func getContainerJSON(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	}
 
 	if !container.Engine.IsHealthy() {
-		httpError(w, fmt.Sprintf("Container %s running on unhealthy node %s", name, container.Engine.Name), http.StatusNotFound)
+		httpError(w, fmt.Sprintf("Container %s running on unhealthy node %s", name, container.Engine.Name), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -848,7 +848,10 @@ func proxyNetworkContainerOperation(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.R
 func proxyContainer(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	name, container, err := getContainerFromVars(c, mux.Vars(r))
 	if err != nil {
-		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		if container == nil {
+			httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		}
+		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -868,7 +871,10 @@ func proxyContainer(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 func proxyContainerAndForceRefresh(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	name, container, err := getContainerFromVars(c, mux.Vars(r))
 	if err != nil {
-		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		if container == nil {
+			httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		}
+		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -998,7 +1004,10 @@ func postCommit(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	// get container
 	name, container, err := getContainerFromVars(c, vars)
 	if err != nil {
-		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		if container == nil {
+			httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		}
+		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	// Set the full container ID in the proxied URL path.
@@ -1074,7 +1083,10 @@ func postBuild(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 func postRenameContainer(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	_, container, err := getContainerFromVars(c, mux.Vars(r))
 	if err != nil {
-		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		if container == nil {
+			httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		}
+		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -1097,7 +1109,10 @@ func postRenameContainer(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 func proxyHijack(c *context, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	name, container, err := getContainerFromVars(c, mux.Vars(r))
 	if err != nil {
-		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		if container == nil {
+			httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusNotFound)
+		}
+		httpError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	// Set the full container ID in the proxied URL path.
diff --git a/api/utils.go b/api/utils.go
index 7d5a7efc57..aaff32b261 100644
--- a/api/utils.go
+++ b/api/utils.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func getContainerFromVars(c *context, vars map[string]string) (string, *cluster.
 	if name, ok := vars["name"]; ok {
 		if container := c.cluster.Container(name); container != nil {
 			if !container.Engine.IsHealthy() {
-				return name, nil, fmt.Errorf("Container %s running on unhealthy node %s", name, container.Engine.Name)
+				return name, container, fmt.Errorf("Container %s running on unhealthy node %s", name, container.Engine.Name)
 			}
 			return name, container, nil
 		}