diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/GroupsImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/GroupsImpl.java
index cc1ea05836..f250ec4025 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/GroupsImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/GroupsImpl.java
@@ -216,7 +216,15 @@ public class GroupsImpl implements Groups
         final AuthorityType authorityType = AuthorityType.GROUP;
         final Set<String> rootAuthorities = getAllRootAuthorities(authorityType);
 
-        PagingResults<AuthorityInfo> pagingResult = getAuthoritiesInfo(authorityType, isRootParam, zoneFilter, rootAuthorities, sortProp, paging);
+        PagingResults<AuthorityInfo> pagingResult;
+        try
+        {
+            pagingResult = getAuthoritiesInfo(authorityType, isRootParam, zoneFilter, rootAuthorities, sortProp, paging);
+        }
+        catch (UnknownAuthorityException e)
+        {
+            throw new EntityNotFoundException("Zone "+zoneFilter+" does not exist.");
+        }
 
         // Create response.
         final List<AuthorityInfo> page = pagingResult.getPage();
diff --git a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/GroupsTest.java b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/GroupsTest.java
index 310115667c..be696c53b3 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/GroupsTest.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/GroupsTest.java
@@ -435,6 +435,10 @@ public class GroupsTest extends AbstractSingleNetworkSiteTest
             // "A series of unfortunate errors"
             otherParams.put("where", "(zones in ('', 'APP.DEFAULT', '', 'APITEST.MYZONE'))");
             getGroups(paging, otherParams, "Incorrect response", 400);
+
+            // A zone that isn't in use or doesn't exist
+            otherParams.put("where", "(zones in ('NON.EXISTENT'))");
+            getGroups(paging, otherParams, "Incorrect response", 404);
         }
     }