diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
index f673f48821..5f378f85a0 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ public class NodesImpl implements Nodes
         boolean includeFiles = true;
 
         QName filterNodeTypeQName = null;
-        boolean filterIncludeSubTypes = true;
+        boolean filterIncludeSubTypes = false;
 
         Query q = parameters.getQuery();
 
@@ -932,12 +932,20 @@ public class NodesImpl implements Nodes
             if ((nodeTypeStr != null) && (! nodeTypeStr.isEmpty()))
             {
                 filterNodeTypeQName = createQName(nodeTypeStr);
+                if (dictionaryService.getType(filterNodeTypeQName) == null)
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException("Unknown filter nodeType: "+nodeTypeStr);
+                }
             }
 
-            // optionally used with nodeType filter (default is to include subTypes, if not specified as "subTypes=false")
+            // optionally used with nodeType filter (default is *not* to include sub-types)
             Boolean subTypes = propertyWalker.getProperty(PARAM_SUBTYPES, WhereClauseParser.EQUALS, Boolean.class);
             if (subTypes != null)
             {
+                if (nodeTypeStr == null)
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException("Expected nodeType and subTypes (not just subTypes) filter: "+parentNodeRef.getId());
+                }
                 filterIncludeSubTypes = subTypes;
             }
         }
diff --git a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeApiTest.java b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeApiTest.java
index 050827fc2f..01d2fe5dda 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeApiTest.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeApiTest.java
@@ -1427,20 +1427,31 @@ public class NodeApiTest extends AbstractBaseApiTest
         n1.expected(nodeResp);
 
 
-        // filtering, via where clause (nodeType)
+        // filtering, via where clause (nodeType + subTypes)
+
+        List<String> linkIds = Arrays.asList(n1Id, n2Id);
+
         Map<String, String> params = new HashMap<>();
         params.put("where", "(nodeType='cm:link')");
 
         Paging paging = getPaging(0, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
 
-        List<String> linkIds = Arrays.asList(n1Id, n2Id);
-
         response = getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 200);
         List<Node> nodes = jacksonUtil.parseEntries(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class);
+        assertEquals(0, nodes.size());
+
+        params = new HashMap<>();
+        params.put("where", "(nodeType='cm:link' and subTypes=true)");
+
+        paging = getPaging(0, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
+
+        response = getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 200);
+        nodes = jacksonUtil.parseEntries(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class);
         assertEquals(2, nodes.size());
         assertTrue(linkIds.contains(nodes.get(0).getId()));
         assertTrue(linkIds.contains(nodes.get(1).getId()));
 
+
         // delete file
         delete("nodes", user1, n1Id, 204);
 
@@ -1465,6 +1476,11 @@ public class NodeApiTest extends AbstractBaseApiTest
 
         // -ve test - create - duplicate name
         post(myChildrenUrl, user1, toJsonAsStringNonNull(n2), 409);
+
+        // -ve test - unknown nodeType when filtering
+        params = new HashMap<>();
+        params.put("where", "(nodeType='my:unknown'");
+        getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 400);
     }