diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index ec25fe62..19eb81c1 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -64,7 +64,15 @@ module.exports = function(config_hash) {
 			if (err.status && err.status >= 400 && err.status < 600) {
 				if (calls == 1) {
 					res.status(err.status)
-					res.send({error: err.msg || err.message || 'unknown error'})
+					var body = {error: err.msg || err.message || 'unknown error'};
+
+					// Make 404 responses compliant with CouchDB REST API
+					if (err.status == 404) {
+						body.reason = body.error
+						body.error = 'not_found'
+					}
+
+					res.send(body)
 				}
 			} else {
 				Logger.logger.error({err: err}, 'unexpected error: @{!err.message}\n@{err.stack}')