diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
index 33cbfeaecd..568e774847 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
@@ -1087,13 +1087,25 @@ public class NodesImpl implements Nodes
                  includeFiles = isFile;
             }
 
+            if (Boolean.TRUE.equals(includeFiles) && Boolean.TRUE.equals(includeFolders))
+            {
+                throw new InvalidArgumentException("Invalid filter (isFile=true and isFolder = true) - a node cannot be both a file and a folder");
+            }
+
             String nodeTypeStr = propertyWalker.getProperty(PARAM_NODETYPE, WhereClauseParser.EQUALS, String.class);
             if ((nodeTypeStr != null) && (! nodeTypeStr.isEmpty()))
             {
+                if ((isFile != null) || (isFolder != null))
+                {
+                    throw new InvalidArgumentException("Invalid filter - nodeType and isFile/isFolder are mutually exclusive");
+                }
+
                 Pair<QName, Boolean> pair = parseNodeTypeFilter(nodeTypeStr);
                 filterNodeTypeQName = pair.getFirst();
                 filterIncludeSubTypes = pair.getSecond();
             }
+
+
         }
 
         List<SortColumn> sortCols = parameters.getSorting();
@@ -1129,8 +1141,11 @@ public class NodesImpl implements Nodes
         PagingRequest pagingRequest = Util.getPagingRequest(paging);
 
         final PagingResults<FileInfo> pagingResults;
-        if ((filterNodeTypeQName != null) || (Boolean.FALSE.equals(includeFiles) && Boolean.FALSE.equals(includeFolders)))
+        if (((includeFiles == null) && (includeFolders == null)) ||
+            (filterNodeTypeQName != null) ||
+            (Boolean.FALSE.equals(includeFiles) && Boolean.FALSE.equals(includeFolders)))
         {
+            // either no filtering or some filtering (but not just files or folders)
             if (filterNodeTypeQName == null)
             {
                 filterNodeTypeQName = ContentModel.TYPE_CMOBJECT;
@@ -1144,19 +1159,9 @@ public class NodesImpl implements Nodes
         }
         else
         {
-            // files and/or folders only
-            if ((includeFiles == null) && (includeFolders == null))
-            {
-                // no filtering
-                includeFiles = true;
-                includeFolders = true;
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                // some filtering
-                includeFiles = (includeFiles != null ? includeFiles : false);
-                includeFolders = (includeFolders != null ? includeFolders : false);
-            }
+            // files or folders only
+            includeFiles = (includeFiles != null ? includeFiles : false);
+            includeFolders = (includeFolders != null ? includeFolders : false);
 
             pagingResults = fileFolderService.list(parentNodeRef, includeFiles, includeFolders, ignoreQNames, sortProps, pagingRequest);
         }
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 14919a8df6..04f6b021f9 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeApiTest.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeApiTest.java
@@ -1738,13 +1738,19 @@ public class NodeApiTest extends AbstractBaseApiTest
 
         Paging paging = getPaging(0, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
 
+        // no filtering
+
+        HttpResponse response = getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, null, 200);
+        List<Node> nodes = RestApiUtil.parseRestApiEntries(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class);
+        checkNodeIds(nodes, allIds);
+
         // filtering, via where clause - folders
 
         Map<String, String> params = new HashMap<>();
         params.put("where", "(nodeType='cm:folder')");
 
-        HttpResponse response = getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 200);
-        List<Node> nodes = RestApiUtil.parseRestApiEntries(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class);
+        response = getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 200);
+        nodes = RestApiUtil.parseRestApiEntries(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class);
         checkNodeIds(nodes, folderIds);
 
         params = new HashMap<>();
@@ -1784,15 +1790,6 @@ public class NodeApiTest extends AbstractBaseApiTest
         nodes = RestApiUtil.parseRestApiEntries(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class);
         checkNodeIds(nodes, fileIds);
 
-        // filtering, via where clause - files and folders
-
-        params = new HashMap<>();
-        params.put("where", "(isFile=true AND isFolder=true)");
-
-        response = getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 200);
-        nodes = RestApiUtil.parseRestApiEntries(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class);
-        checkNodeIds(nodes, folderAndFileIds);
-
         // filtering, via where clause - non-folders / non-files
 
         params = new HashMap<>();
@@ -1815,6 +1812,20 @@ public class NodeApiTest extends AbstractBaseApiTest
         response = getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 200);
         nodes = RestApiUtil.parseRestApiEntries(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class);
         checkNodeIds(nodes, objIds);
+
+        // -ve - node cannot be both a file and a folder
+        params = new HashMap<>();
+        params.put("where", "(isFile=true AND isFolder=true)");
+        getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 400);
+
+        // -ve - nodeType and isFile/isFolder are mutually exclusive
+        params = new HashMap<>();
+        params.put("where", "(nodeType='cm:object' AND isFolder=true)");
+        getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 400);
+
+        params = new HashMap<>();
+        params.put("where", "(nodeType='cm:object' AND isFile=true)");
+        getAll(myChildrenUrl, user1, paging, params, 400);
     }
 
     private void checkNodeIds(List<Node> nodes, List<String> nodeIds)