diff --git a/dspace-xmlui/src/main/java/org/dspace/springmvc/ResourceIdentifierController.java b/dspace-xmlui/src/main/java/org/dspace/springmvc/ResourceIdentifierController.java
index 29dd000f73c9..6c813bdcb1f1 100644
--- a/dspace-xmlui/src/main/java/org/dspace/springmvc/ResourceIdentifierController.java
+++ b/dspace-xmlui/src/main/java/org/dspace/springmvc/ResourceIdentifierController.java
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ public String processHandle(HttpServletRequest request, @PathVariable String pre
 
             DSpaceObject dso = dis.resolve(context, prefix);
 
-            if (dso == null) throw new RuntimeException("Cannot find Item!");
+            if (dso == null) throw new IdentifierNotFoundException("Cannot find Item " + prefix + "!");
 
             request.setAttribute(DSPACE_OBJECT, dso);
 
diff --git a/dspace-xmlui/src/main/webapp/sitemap.xmap b/dspace-xmlui/src/main/webapp/sitemap.xmap
index 3aded21385e7..8cbe861e9a01 100644
--- a/dspace-xmlui/src/main/webapp/sitemap.xmap
+++ b/dspace-xmlui/src/main/webapp/sitemap.xmap
@@ -646,6 +646,14 @@
                         <map:read src="static/{1}/{2}"/>
                     </map:match>
 
+                    <!-- DSpace does not have any paths beginning with numbers (0-9). If one is accessed,
+                         assume that it is an identifier & redirect it. This also avoids an internal
+                         error, where the XMLUI AspectMatcher wrongly assumes numbers at beginning
+                         of path are direct references to individual Aspects in the aspect chain.-->
+                    <map:match type="regexp" pattern="(^[0-9]+\/?.*$)">
+                        <map:redirect-to uri="{request:contextPath}/handle/{1}" permanent="yes"/>
+                    </map:match>
+
                 </map:pipeline>
                 
                 <!-- pipline to run external handle server -->